March.] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 21 1 



are to form little circles with your finger about six or eight inches 

 in diameter, and on each, scatter a few seeds, then cover them with 

 light fine mould three-quarters of an inch deep. The seeds should 

 be sown as early in spring as possible, or if this had been done in 

 November, they would vegetate in spring with more certainty; when 

 the young plants appear, keep them free from weeds, and in dry 

 weather give them frequently a little water, but not much at a time; 

 and above all things, protect them from the mid-day sun till they get 

 considerably strong, for if exposed fully to this, during their infant 

 state, few of them would escape destruction thereby; were you to 

 place a piece of board on end, about fifteen inches broad, and two 

 feet and a half high, at the south side of each hill, leaning a little 

 over the plants, this would answer the end effectually, without 

 depriving them of the benefit of the circulating air. The first 

 season is their critical period, having survived that, they have no- 

 thing to fear afterwards. Onions, lettuces or any other low grow- 

 ing crops may be either sown or planted in the intervals for the 

 first year, so that they are kept at a proper distance from the young 

 plants. The supernumerary plants, one being sufficient to be left 

 in each of these places for ultimate perfection, may be transplanted 

 the spring following into new plantations, similarly prepared and 

 at the same distance. 



The November following, all the leaves being then decayed, 

 cover the crowns of the plants two inches deep with earth from 

 the intervals; and if there is danger of any wet lodging, throw up 

 trenches, rounding the beds as is commonly done to asparagus, and 

 for the first winter, lay some dry litter over the plants. In the 

 March following, strip the covering till you just perceive the tops 

 of the plants, give all the ground a slight digging and dress it 

 neatly after you, observing to keep the beds well hoed, and always 

 free from weeds. 



Thus proceed every autumn and spring, till the roots have four 

 years growth, when some of them may be taken up for use; but it 

 is generally admitted that their medicinal virtues increase until 

 they are eight or ten years old. 



You must be very circumspect in the choice of ground; particu- 

 larly, that it is not subject to lodge wet, for this plant by no means 

 agrees with too much moisture, preferring a rich dry sandy loam 

 to any other kind of soil. 



Rhubarb may also be propagated by offsets from the old roots, or 

 by sowing the seed in seed-beds, and transplanting them when a 

 year old into such beds and at the same distances as before directed 

 for sowing the seed; but they always produce larger and better 

 roots when sown where they are to remain. 



The proper time to take up the roots for use is in autumn, after 

 the leaves and stalks are totall v decayed, when taken up, wash them 

 clean, trim oft' the small fibres, and lay them in an airy place to dry, 

 for four days, then rasp oft' the outward skin, which greatly obstructs 

 the quickness of drying, from the pores not being laid open for the 

 herbaceous moisture to exhale; the mere stripping off the bark will 

 not be sufficient, the rasping it off', and the lacerating of the out- 



