270 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



with, if possible, some fibres attached to it. These 

 offsets may be taken from roots of three or four 

 years old, without injury to the plant. They may 

 be planted where they are intended to remain, at 

 the same distance and in the same manner as ad- 

 vised for the seedlings ; but, as before observed, 

 they seldom succeed so well. 



Artificial Culture. For forcing rhubarb the fol- 

 lowing methods will be found to answer the expect- 

 ations of those who put them in practice. The 

 varieties which stand first on the list for this pur- 

 pose are the Tobolsk and early Elford. 



For forcing in the open ground large pots will 

 be required to be placed over the roots, and covered 

 with fermented dung. When the plants are fairly 

 up, which will be soon, and they are observed to 

 get too large for the pots, larger pots must be sub- 

 stituted in their room, or large hand glasses, if there 

 be any to spare : they must be well covered with 

 mats every night, and in unfavourable weather. It 

 has been observed that under such a mode of cul- 

 ture rhubarb comes very delicate and fine-flavoured, 

 and quite equal to that forced in pots. 



In respect of the dung to be used in covering the 

 pots, it may be noticed that it makes but little or no 

 difference whether it has been previously prepared 

 by turning, or procured fresh from the stable, pro- 

 vided it is not suffered to heat too violently, as the 

 internal heat should be kept to between 55 and 60 

 of Fahrenheit. 



Those persons who dislike the trouble, and others 

 who have neither large pots nor dung at command, 

 may be told, that covering the roots of rhubarb in 



