70 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



will be of sufficient strength to plant out in trenches 

 for blanching. For early use the author planted a 

 row or two of the Italian sort in deep drills, drawn 

 with a drill-hoe at two feet apart, when they 

 are sufficiently blanched in a few weeks for use. 

 This, however, is mentioned merely as an ex- 

 periment. The regular way is to select a level 

 and rich piece of ground : dig some trenches a foot 

 wide, eight or ten inches deep, and three feet from 

 each other ; if convenient, from north to south is 

 preferable to any other aspect : let the earth be re- 

 gularly thrown out on each side of the trench and 

 sloped off. When one trench is opened, five or six 

 inches of well- consumed dung should be worked in 

 full half a spade deep, and so continued until the re- 

 quisite number of trenches are finished. The plants 

 which were pricked out in the beds or frames, may 

 now be taken up and prepared for planting, which 

 is done by cutting off the extremity of the roots 

 (which in planting should have a gentle twist), 

 shortening their tops or leaves, but not so low as to 

 injure the young centre leaves, and clearing the 

 neck of the plant from suckers ; this done, they will 

 be in order for planting in the trenches at the dis- 

 tance of four or five inches apart, after which, give 

 the whole a good soaking of water. Little after cul- 

 ture is required, except using a small hoe at times 

 to stir the earth round the plants, until they are of 

 sufficient growth for the first earthing ; that is, when 

 the plants are about a foot high. When they are of 

 that height, let the earth be pared down on each side 

 of the trench, care being taken not to let it get into 

 the hearts of the plants ; then with one hand gather 



