944 



PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part III. 



6176. The rhubarb (iZheum palmatum L.,Jig. 813. c) is a perennial, with thick oval 

 roots which strike deep into the ground, large palmate leaves, and flower-stems six or 

 eight feet high. Its leaves are the best of all the kinds of rhubarb for tarts. The Society 

 of Arts exerted itself for many years to promote the culture of this plant, as did Dr. Hope 

 of Edinburgh. It has accordingly been cultivated with success both in England and 

 Scotland ; though the quality of the root produced is considered by the faculty inferior 

 to that of the Russia or Turkey rhubarb, as Professor Martyn thinks, an inferiority pro- 

 bably owing to the moisture of our climate, and the imperfect mode of drying. 



6177. In the culture of this plant, if bulk of produce be the object, then a deep, rid), loamy sand should 

 be chosen ; but if flavour, then a dry, warm, somewhat calcareous sand. Prepare as for liquorice, 

 and sow in patches of two or three seeds, in rows four feet apart, and the same distance in the rows. 

 Transplanting from seed-beds may be adopted ; but the roots are never so handsome and entire. As soon 

 as the plants appear, leave only one in a place. The plants will now stand in the angles of squares of four 

 feet to the side. The after-culture consists in horse-hoeing and deep stirring, both lengthwise and 

 across; in ploughing in the same directions; in never letting the flower-stems rise higher than two 

 feet, or show flowers or seed unless some is wanted for propagation ; and in removing the decayed 

 haulm every autumn. The plants, having stood three or four sunnners, may be taken up, and their main 

 roots dried in a very slow manner by any of the following modes : The common British mode of curing 

 or drying the rhubarb, after cleaning the roots, is to cut them into sections, an inch or more in thickness, 

 string them, and dry them in airy lofts, laundries, or kitchens, in a gradual manner. This has long been 

 the practice of private gardeners who grow the root for their own use, and has also been adopted by cul- 

 tivators for the druggists. The rhubarb is cured in Tartary by being thoroughly cleaned, the smaller 

 branches cut off, and then cut transversely into pieces of a moderate size ; these are placed on long tables 

 or boards, and turned three or four times a day, that the yellow viscid juice may incorporate with the 

 substance of the root. If this juice be suffered to run out, the roots become light and unserviceable ; and 

 if they be not cut within five or six days after they are dug up, they become soft and decay very speedily. 

 Four or five days after they are cut, holes are made through them, and they are hung up to dry exposed 

 to the air and wind, but sheltered from the sun. Thus, in about two months, the roots are completely 

 dried, and arrive at their full perfection. The loss of weight in drying is very considerable; seven loads 

 of green roots yielding only one small horse-load of perfectly dry rhubarb. 



6178. The Chinese in curinfr rhubarb, after having cleaned the roots, by scraping off the outer bark, as 

 well as the thin yellow membrane underneath, cut them in slices, an inch or two in thickness, and dry them 

 on stone slabs, under which large fires are kindled. They keep continually turning these slices on the 



S14 warm slabs; but as this operation is not sufficient to dry 



them thoroughly, they make a hole through them, and 

 suspend them on lines, in a place exposed to the greatest 

 heat of the sun, till they are in a condition to be pre- 

 served without danger of spoiling. A copious account 

 of all the experiments made in Britain for the culture 

 and curing of the rhubarb up to 180.'), is given by Pro- 

 fessor Martyn, in his edition of Miller's Dictionary, 

 art. Rheums and of the Turkey, Russian, and Chinese 

 rhubarb, in Thomson's Dispensatory, 2d edit. 1822, p. 4(59. 

 It has been alleged of late, that the true medicinal rhubarb 

 is not the /fhfeum palmatum as hitherto supposed, but the 

 li. austrJlle (^f. 814.) This species appears to be peculiar 

 to the great table lands of central Asia, between tne lati- 

 tudes of 31 and 40, where it is found to flourish at an 

 elevation of 11,000 feet above the level of the sea. Large 

 quantities of the roots are annually collected for export- 

 ation in the Chinese provinces, within the lofty range of 

 the Himalaya. The best is that which comes by way of 

 Russia, as greater care is taken in the selection ; and on its 

 arrival at Kiachta, within the Russian frontiers, the roots 

 are carefully examined, and the damaged pieces re- 

 moved. Mr. Sweet has been informed that the stems of 

 the leaves have the same effect as the root ; only, of 

 course, a greater portion of them will require to be used. 

 They may be made up in a small tart, like the stems of the 

 common rhubarb. [Gard. Mag. vol. v. p. 161.) 



6179. The lavender (Lavandula Sp^ca L. Jig. 813. J) is a dwarf odoriferous shrub of 

 three or four years' duration, grown in the fields in a few places round London, and 

 chiefly in Surrey, for the spikes of flowers used by the druggists, perfumers, and dis- 

 tillers. The soil should be a poor dry calcareous gravel. The seeds should be sown 

 in a garden in spring, and the plants may be transplanted in September or March fol- 

 lowing, in rows two feet apart, and kept free from weeds. The second season they 

 will yield a few flowers, and a full crop the fourth, after which the plants will continue 

 productive for five or six years. The spikes are gathered in June, dried in the shade, 

 and sold in bundles to the herbalists, druggists, &;c. 



61 80. Thyme, worvnoood, marjoram, savory, and some other aromatics, are cultivated in 

 the same inanner, and for similar purposes. Being usually smaller plants, they should 

 be planted closer ; but to have much flavour the soil must be dry and calcareous. 



6181. Chamomile (^'nthemis nobilis) is a creeping perennial, grown for its flowers. 

 It only requires to be planted on a poor soil, in rows a foot apart, and hoed between. 

 It will produce abundance of flowers annually from June to September, which are 

 gathered, and dried in the shade. They are sold by weiglit to the druggists and apothe- 

 caries. The double-flowered variety is, from its beauty, that commonly cultivated ; but 

 the single possesses more of the virtues of the plant according to its weight. 



6182. The mints (Mentha), and especially the peppermint (il/entha piperita), are 

 creeping-rooted perennials, cultivated on rich marshy or soft black moist soils for dis- 

 tilling. The plants are grown in beds with trenches of a foot or more in width and 



