ENDIVE. 109 



the winter. To the market gardener, who pre- 

 serves them for spring use, they are of much benefit, 

 as they always meet with a ready sale. 



The seed for this crop should be sown on a rich 

 spot of ground, rather thin, and fully commensurate 

 to the number of plants required for immediate use; 

 and the few hundred seedlings left after planting 

 need not be thrown away, as they will be found 

 useful hereafter. Should the weather at the time of 

 sowing be hot and dry, shade and moisture will be 

 necessary. 



When it appears that the plants are of sufficient 

 strength to plant out, it should be done imme- 

 diately, either in beds, borders, or wherever there 

 is a vacancy ; as also under warm walls, pales, banks, 

 and such places, where they are most likely to stand 

 the weather. As the season continues mild and 

 the plants are fit, they may be blanched in their 

 places of growth ; but the major part should be 

 taken up and put under some sort of protection 

 from our variable climate. Various are the methods 

 recommended for this purpose; one of the most suc- 

 cessful, particularly where there is not the conve- 

 niency of a shed, is by throwing up and forming a 

 sloping bank of earth, two or three feet high, to face 

 the south, on which to plant the endive ; but let it 

 be observed that the lighter and drier the mould, 

 and the warmer the situation, the better. 



For taking up the endive, let a dry day be chosen 

 towards the end of October or beginning of No- 

 vember ; gather the leaves together with the hand_, 

 and let them be planted entire on the warm side of 

 the bank, beginning in a horizontal direction from 



