294 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



in the early part of the season the plant is stripped of its leaves 

 as fast as they are made, it is obvious that it requires a large 

 amount of rich food to stand the strain and maintain its pro- 

 ductiveness year after year. There is practically no danger of 

 giving too much manure ; on land of average quality at least 

 from 30 to 40 tons per acre, accompanied by 8cwt. of bone 

 meal, and 4cwt of kainit, should be incorporated with the soil 

 before planting. On very heavy soil it would be advisable to 

 substitute lOcwt. basic slag for the bone meal. Each winter 

 at least 15 tons of manure should be given, applied along the 

 rows, and in the spring 3cwt. of superphosphate. An occasional 

 dressing on light land of 3cwt. kainit in the autumn, and on 

 heavy land of licwt. sulphate of potash in the spring will be 

 found very beneficial. On plantations of early varieties 3cwt. 

 nitrate of soda, in the spring after growth has begun, will be 

 found very serviceable in pushing along the early supplies. 



When forcing Rhubarb mix a little dissolved bone with the 

 soil (about a 48's potful of dissolved bone to a barrowful of soil). 

 The application of nitrate of soda (loz. dissolved in each gallon 

 of water) to the roots after growth has commenced, is a good 

 stimulant. 



Varieties : The varieties in greatest favour amongst growers 

 are Mitchell's Royal Albert, Hawke's Champagne, Myatt's 

 Linnaeus, and Myatt's Victoria, but there are now numerous 

 other varieties of equal merit. 



SALSIFY. 



Tragopogon porrifolius. 



O ALSIFY (also known as the oyster-plant) is a root which 

 O is practically unknown to the general public of this 

 country, and therefore there is not sufficient demand to make 

 it worthy of the attention of every grower for market. Those, 

 however, who have direct dealings with well-to-do private 

 customers, or with good shops and hotels, might profitably 

 turn their attention to its production, and then take the oppor- 

 tunity of pushing its sale into quarters where at present it is a 

 stranger. Properly cooked, it is wholesome and possesses an 



