SEA-KALE. 215 



up to stalks. After the third year, the stalks should 

 be cut down close to the ground, the beds kept clean 

 from weeds, and in winter covered with two or three 

 inches of manure. As soon in the spring as the frost 

 is out of the ground, the earth in the beds should be 

 loosened by means of a fork introduced into the soil to 

 the depth of three or four inches, turning up the earth 

 carefully, so as not to injure the roots. Trim off the 

 edges of the beds, so as to make them even. . A full 

 crop may be expected the fourth season after planting. 

 Cutting' should not be continued after, the middle of 

 June. Beds well situated and properly managed will 

 continue to yield good crops for twelve or fifteen years. 

 Salt and brine will be found extremely valuable appli- 

 cations to the asparagus beds, and should be put on in 

 winter. 



Sea-Kale [Qraynhe-maritima) is a perennial plant, 

 growing spontaneously on the shores of the southern 

 parts of England. The roots are spreading, the leaves 

 wav^d, glaucous,- and covered with a fine mealy bloom, 

 and the stalks rise to about_two feet high, bearing white 

 flowers, which smell of honey, followed by seed-pods, 

 each containing a single seed. 



The country people in the west of England have long 

 been accustomed to use in spi'ing the young shoots, 

 which, by passing through the sand and gravel on 

 which they grow, are somewdiat blanched and rendered 

 tender. In conformity with this practice, the cultiva- 

 tion formerly recommended consisted merely in cover- 

 ing the beds on the approach of spring with a little dry 

 earth or sand, in order to the blanching or internating 

 of the shoots. These Avere cut as they appeared' in 



