Improved Mode of blanching Sea-kale a?id HJmharh. 75 



triangle, and the other board must be fastened to this by hooks 

 and eyes. It is now ready to be filled with soil for sowing the 

 peas ; but it will require two blocks of wood to stand upon, one 

 at each end. Therefore, have a triangular piece cut out, or two 

 blocks of any length cut so as to hold any quantit}' of troughs 

 you wish. When they are to be transplanted, drills should be 

 drawn, and the troughs placed in them : unhook the two ends ; 

 the side boards are then easily unhooked and taken away, when 

 the peas will fall into the trench, and may immediately be 

 moulded up. 



Essex, Jan. 6. 1841. 



Art. IX. An accidental Discovery of an improved Mode of 

 blanching Sea-kale and Rhubarb ivilh Peat Soil. By David 

 Robertson. 



In 1824, being then gardener to Captain George Bryan, Jen- 

 kinstown, in the county of Kilkenny, the sea-kale beds were 

 adjoining the frame ground ; and, in consequence of some im- 

 provements, a quantity of peat was removed in November, part 

 of which was laid above the beds. In clearing it away in 

 January, the kale that was under the peat was finely blanched, 

 extremely clean and white, and fit for the table; while that 

 portion which was not covered with peat had not begun to 

 vegetate. 



Being much struck with the rapid progress of its growth, and 

 convinced of the excellence of the covering thus accidentally 

 employed, the following season, in November, I had a bed 

 covered with free peat soil to the depth of 10 or 12 inches, and 

 forced with stable litter in the usual way ; and it was fit to cut at 

 Christmas. In this case the use of the peat is chiefly for blanch- 

 ing. When the season is more advanced, stable litter may be dis- 

 pensed with ; and beds covered with peat in November, or later, 

 according as it is required, would be fit to gather in the inter- 

 mediate season between the forced sea-kale and that in the open 

 ground which had not been covered with peat. The peat 

 evidently forwards its growth a few weeks without forcing with 

 litter ; acting, doubtless, as a non-conductor to the heat in the 

 soil, in the same manner as a covering of snow. 



Rhubarb may be successfully treated in the same manner, 

 only it requires a greater depth of peat, according to its height ; 

 say 15 in. 



As far as my observation extends, the peat is far superior, 

 for both sea-kale and rhubarb, to coal ashes or other sub- 

 stances, and also better than pots> the kale or rhubarb being 

 more effectually blanched and better flavoured. 



Stanwell Nursery, Edinburgh, Dec. 1840. 



