302 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



growth must be done frequently to the end of the season. 

 Satisfactory crowns may be grown in this way w r hen the soil 

 is rich and full of humus and copious waterings are given to 

 supply the pressing and heavy calls of the various plants, and 

 if these necessary conditions are thoroughly complied with 

 this is obviously a very profitable way to occupy the space in 

 the early part of the season, but on the average it will be 

 found that the production of good Seakale crowns is more 

 certain when they are grown alone. 



Having formed a plantation with the plants at equal distances 

 apart in each direction, the grower must decide what portion 

 of the crowns are to be lifted for forcing or selling and what 

 portion is to be left in the ground. Those not lifted will provide 

 supplies to follow in succession after the earliest forced batches. 

 Part of these will be pushed along with hot manure and the 

 remainder used for the production of " natural " Kale. In the 

 former case every fourth row is lifted, leaving three rows at 

 15in. apart, then an alley of 2ft. 6in., and so on. In the latter 

 case two rows are lifted and three left, so that the alleys are 

 3ft. 3in. wide. When the alleys are cleared, dress the soil with 

 ground lime and dig it well to within Gin. of the plants on each 

 side, ridging up the middle and leaving it rough for the weather 

 to act upon. 



In smaller plantations the plants may be set in clumps, to be 

 covered with Seakale pots or boxes. In each clump set three 

 or four plants 4in. apart, leave 2ft. between each clump, and 

 leave 3ft. between each row of clumps. 



Forcing under Cover. Seakale is very easy to force; the 

 crowns begin to move as soon as they are subjected to a slight 

 rise of temperature. The best samples are produced when 

 grown slowly, a steady temperature of from 50 to 55 degrees 

 being sufficient for really satisfactory work, and 60 degrees 

 should never be exceeded at any time, or the stalks will come 

 thin and without substance. The heat, which may be supplied 

 either by hot-water pipes or by fermenting manure, should be 

 a moist one, and acts best when applied underneath the roots, 

 although forcing may be done without bottom heat, if necessary. 

 Absolute darkness is essential, or the heads will not be perfectly 

 blanched, and in no other condition can they be considered as 



