290 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



During the season following planting, a catch crop may be 

 grown between the rows. Each winter, as soon as time can 

 be spared, during a spell of open weather the ground between 

 the rows should be forked over and each crown covered a few 

 inches deep with littery manure ; this will help to feed the roots 

 and hasten the formation of early stalks, which will come long, 

 clean and crisp through the litter, and better altogether than if 

 none was used. When the Rhubarb is in bearing, surface 

 cultivation should begin as soon as gathering is finished. All 

 flower stems should be removed as soon as they appear, as the 

 formation of seed is very exhausting to the plant. 



Gathering. When to gather, how to gather, and when to 

 cease gathering, are all matters worthy of more attention than 

 they usually receive. No stalks whatever should be pulled in 

 the first season after planting, and in the second season the 

 gathering should be very moderate ; when the roots are to be 

 forced it is much better not to gather any the second season, 

 as the removal of any leaf from the plant tends to weaken it. 

 Some consumers prefer Rhubarb when the stalks are only 

 half-grown, whilst others prefer them fully grown, but there is 

 a great waste if they are gathered before they reach their 

 full length, and it is just at that stage when they are in 

 the best condition and should be gathered. The proper 

 method of pulling is to give the leaf-stalk a half-turn and a 

 sudden jerk outward and downward at the same moment. 

 When pulling is done carelessly the crown is often torn off at 

 the base of the stalk. Too many leaves should not be pulled 

 from a plant at one time ; if there are a dozen leaves to a 

 plant not more than six should be taken, and time allowed for 

 new leaves to form before any more are pulled. Gathering 

 should cease at latest by the early part of August, and for the 

 rest of the season the plants should be left to grow as they 

 will, except cuting off flower-stalks as fast as they show. 

 This allows quite little enough time for the last crop of leaves 

 to make good crowns for the next season's crop. When 

 Rhubarb is wanted for wine-making, well-matured stalks are 

 usually pulled at the end of August, and a plot should be kept 

 for that purpose in preference to pulling so late in the season 

 from the ordinary plantation. Where Rhubarb is grown on a 



