248 



FRUITS AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CHAPTER XL 



SIZA KALE AND CHICORY 



A CONSIDERABLE quantity of Sea Kale is forced in Europe during the 

 Winter and early Spring; most establishments, in fact, set apart quite 

 a plot for this \egetable and devote a good deal of attention to it. it 

 may be forced in the open, or the cro\\ns can be lifted and forced inside. To 

 ensure thorough blanching it must be grown in a dark place, as, for instance, a 

 mushroomhouse. Being a native of England, it naturally does not require a 

 high temperature; the crowns would probably refuse to start if subjected to 

 high heat. When grown out of doors, it will make a strong, vigorous growth in 

 a temperature of 50 to 55 ; therefore when it is brought into the forcing process, 

 it will make a stronger and more substantial growth with a moderate heat. 

 This particularly holds good when it is first started up. 



When the forcing of Sea Kale is contemplated, the best mode of producing 

 strong crowns should be considered. An open location is to be preferred; the 

 foliage will be weak if the plant is grown in a shady place. Any good garden 

 soil should produce a satisfactory growth, though it should not be of a very 

 heavy texture, but rather a rich, deep, sandy loam, or such as will oroduce good 

 Asparagus, with about the same treatment as to manure, etc. Nitrate of soda 

 may be applied a couple of times during the season of growth, sown broadcast 

 between the rows; this stimulates a healthy, clean growth. 



The plants may be increased by seed or from root cuttings; the latter are 

 preferable when the stock is available, as they grow into plants suitable for 

 forcing in less time than seedlings. When seed is used, sow it in the Spring 

 in drills two feet apart and thin out to six or eight inches in the rows. The 

 following season prepare a i^iece of ground for transplanting, as one-year-old 

 seedlings are not strong enough for forcing. At this planting more space must 

 be given for full development; two and one-half or three feet between the rows 

 is not too much, with three feet apart in the rows. When lifting plants for 

 transplanting, the top of each, or the crown bud, should be cut off, as a preven- 

 tive against running into seed. By this method new crowns are formed, and 

 there is not much danger of the plants producing seed after being planted. Insert 

 them so that the crown will be a couple of inches below the surface. Encourage 

 a free growth as they come up; a mulch of manure may be given occasionally, 

 especially in a dry spell. 



When digging up plants for forcing, some of the roots may be secured for 



