' DANDELION. 173 



poses nearly as good as glass. The covers remain, 

 night and day, till settled warm weather in June: 

 and thus a good crop may be raised without much 

 trouble or expence. The young plants require to 

 be checked in their growth, by pinching off the bud 

 of the runner at the first joint; whence lateral 

 shoots will proceed, and which are more given to 

 fruitbearing. The shoots are commonly pricked 

 to the ground to prevent tossing; but the plant, 

 having tendrils, proves its adaptation to climbing, 

 and by giving it a few stakes, low branching or laid 

 on the ground, it will raise its fruit from the damp 

 earth, presenting it free of spots and better flavoured. 

 The vacant spaces of the sloping trellis, or gravel 

 fruit bank, previously described, could not but afford 

 to this plant such a field as would delight its rambles. 

 Dandelion Is used as salad, chiefly by the 

 French. It is said, when well blanched, to lose its 

 extreme bitterness; and it has got, by the ceaseless 

 greed of new things, into the garden books and cul- 

 tivation of this country. Those who desire to feed 

 on it may find plenty by the wayside. It is the 

 most troublesome of all garden weeds. It is peren- 

 nial, flowers early, and has winged seeds. The 

 light down skims along the ground till it is inter- 

 rupted by the box edgings or the stems of fruit 

 trees. In such places, finding shelter, it takes root, 

 and there is no getting it dislodged. The best im- 

 plement for the management of this plant is a blunt 

 chisel with a long handle. By working this care- 

 fully down, the root may be extracted without up- 



