Seakale. 301 



planted too closely to allow it to reach its full development. 

 In market gardens it is planted from 12in. to 18in. apart in each 

 direction, whether it is to be lifted or blanched where it grows, 

 but some authorities insist that this close planting is a mistake, 

 and that 20in. or even 24in. apart would be more profitable, as 

 although more crowns are obtained from the same space by 

 close planting, the greater distance apart would produce finer 

 crowns, the heads from which would be superior and realise 

 better prices in the market. This matter must be left to the 

 judgment of the grower, 15in. apart in each direction being 

 suggested as the minimum, whether the roots are to be lifted 

 or to be blanched where they grow. 



On some places where intensive cultivation is practised, the 

 soil is levelled early in March and then planted with alternate 

 rows, 18in. apart, of cauliflower and cos lettuce, the cauliflower 

 standing 3ft. apart in the rows and the lettuce 18in. ; then a 

 cos lettuce is planted alternately with the cauliflowers, in the 

 same row the cauliflowers occupy; all the plants then stand 

 18in. apart both ways over the whole plot. After this, a Seakale 

 thong is dibbled in alternately with every plant in the rows, 

 but not between the rows. The diagram below makes this 



O * -i- * O * -I- * O * -r * O * -i- * O 



-{- * -!- * -i- * -I- * -r * -r * -i- * -i- * -f 



O * -i- * O * -f * O * -r * O * -i- * O 



-!- * -!- *-{-*-}-* -i- * -r * -!- * -i- * -I 



O * -r * O * -i- * O * -i- * O * -i- * O 

 O Cauliflower. -{- Cos Lettuce. * Seakale. 



Diagram illustrating the Arrangement of Plants. 



perfectly clear. Both lettuces and cauliflowers are gone by 

 the end of June, and the Seakale, which is then growing freely, 

 is left in sole occupation of the ground at 18in. apart. A 

 thorough hoeing, accompanied with a dressing of nitrate of 

 soda, sets the plantation in good trim, and hoeing to encourage 



