318 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



Both the sorts have winged leaves like those of 

 the rose or ash trees ; the water cress is of a 

 roundish heart-like shape, with few indentures on 

 the edges, much resembling the first leaves of the 

 radish; the upper part of which, after more ma- 

 ture growth, is of a reddish-brown colour : those 

 of the water parsnip are of a light green, and of 

 an oblong shape, ending in a point, and regularly 

 serrated at the edges. 



Culture. Water cresses are most esteemed 

 when grown in running streams and a gravelly soil. 

 Those who can introduce water through their 

 gardens may plant the roots in the spring in a kind 

 of canal of six or twelve inches depth of water. 

 After these plants have been suffered to seed, the 

 bed will become one mass of cress for many years ; 

 if the descent is considerable, it will be necessary 

 to form little dams to prevent the current from 

 washing up the roots. 



Those who have large pieces of water on their 

 ground may obtain them by the simple process of 

 throwing the plants on the surface of the water, 

 when they will ripen their seed and soon propagate 

 in abundance. 



Of late years, many acres of water cresses have 

 been planted, for the supply of the London markets, 

 in the low lands of Essex and the adjoining counties, 

 and more especially where the land can be irrigated 

 and drained at pleasure. 



The soil on which the plants thrive best is in 

 such situations where there is a strong loam ; 

 here beds may be formed three or four feet wide, 

 in which plants may be set either in March or 



