SEA-KALE. 283 



quainted at the time he lived at Brompton, near 

 London. One day, when discoursing on the qua- 

 lities of the sea-kale, the doctor observed, that in 

 the course of a few years it would be the most po- 

 pular, as it was the most salubrious, in the whole 

 range of culinary vegetables, a remark which has 

 been most truly verified. The doctor further ob- 

 served, tftat all the good qualities of the cabbage 

 tribe centred in the sea-kale ; and as a sweetener of 

 the blood in spring, it cannot be too strongly re- 

 commended, especially in such a country as Eng- 

 land, where animal food is consumed in such im- 

 mense quantities. It was also remarked at the time 

 by the doctor, that the cottager, with trifling ex- 

 pense and little trouble, might regale himself with a 

 dish of this wholesome vegetable for many weeks 

 throughout the spring, at which time it is of the 

 greatest efficacy, and, with the rhubarb (noticed 

 before), may save many a pound for medical at- 

 tendance : besides he can say, with some degree of 

 pleasure, " I grow my own -medicine." 



Upon the whole, sea-kale is allowed to be one of 

 the most valuable acquisitions made to our culinary 

 vegetables within the last fifty years, none furnish- 

 ing a more salutary esculent for four or five months 

 of the most dreary season of the year ; and it has 

 been observed that no vegetable improves more by 

 forcing ; for by that means, the sea-kale produced at 

 Christmas is more crisp and tender than any grown 

 at a more advanced period. 



For dressing sea-kale, the three following methods, 

 as communicated to the author, may be of use to 

 some of the readers of this work : 



