282 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



from that of the salsafie ; the only difference is in the 

 time of sowing the seed, which will admit of being 

 done a fortnight earlier. 



56. SEA-KALE or SEA-KAIL. CRAMBE. 



Crambe maritima Sea-Kale or Colewort. The 

 botanic name of Crambe is of ancient date, and sup- 

 posed to be derived from the growth and habit of 

 the plant. The specific maritima is from its being 

 only found growing on the sea-shore. 



Sea-kale is a native of the southern shores of Bri- 

 tain; and there is none finer than what is to be 

 found growing on the sandy beach round Calshot 

 Castle, between the Isle of Wight and Southamp- 

 ton. It also grows in great abundance on the sandy 

 shores round the Bay of Dublin, and was for a long 

 time used by the inhabitants of that city as a culi- 

 nary vegetable, before the English thought of it for 

 that purpose. 



The use of sea-kale as an esculent vegetable is of 

 recent date. The first person who brought it into 

 repute was Dr. Lettsom, who had it under culti- 

 vation in his garden in the year 1767 ; and at the 

 same time the Bishop of Carlisle had it in his gar- 

 den, where it was treated like asparagus. 



About that period Dr. Lettsom wrote a short 

 treatise on the culture and qualities of the plant, 

 which brought it into more general notice ; though 

 it did not establish the fame of sea-kale as a culinary 

 vegetable of the first class, to which it is so well en- 

 titled, so much as a treatise written a few years 

 afterwards by that worthy and scientific man, the 

 late Dr. Curtis, with whom the author was well ac- 



