April, j THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 33 j 



soon after they are above ground, and managed as hereafter di- 

 rected, they become so many plants. These roots are of a dark 

 colour on their outside, and have a yellowish red pith in the middle, 

 which is tough and of a bitterish taste; from the root arises manv 

 large four-cornered, jointed stalks, which, in good land, will grow 

 five or six feet high, and if supported, sometimes seven or ei^ht; 

 they are armed with short herbaceous prickles, and at each joint 

 are placed live or six spear-shaped leaves, about three inches iong, 

 and near one broad in the middle, drawing to a point at each 

 end; their upper surfaces are smooth, but their mid-ribs, on the 

 under side, are armed with rough herbaceous spines; the leaves set 

 close to the branches in whorls. From the joints of the stalk come 

 out the branches which sustain the flowers; they are placed by 

 pairs opposite, each pair crossing the other; these have few but 

 small leaves towards the bottom, which are generally by threes, 

 and upwards by pairs opposite; the branches are terminated by 

 branching spikes of companulate yellow flowers, which are cut into 

 four segments. These appear in June, and are followed byVound- 

 ish dark coloured seeds, compressed and indented on the side where 

 joined to the pedicle or partial flower-stalk, and are about the size 

 of asparagus seed. 



I am the more particular in the description, as there are seven 

 different species of Rubia or madder, lest the wrong kind should 

 be cultivated and produce a discouraging disappointment to the 

 industrious and deserving cultivator. 



It is well known that madder is so essential to dyers and calico 

 printers, that neither business can be carried on without it. The 

 consumption of it is so great in England, that, upon a moderate 

 computation, more than one hundred and eighty thousand pounds 

 sterling is annually paid for what is imported from Holland, exclu- 

 sive of their supplies from other parts; and as in a little time 

 manufactures of these kinds must, of necessity, progress in Ame- 

 rica, the sooner some attention is paid to this article the better. 

 The profits arising from its culture would, at present, be very con- 

 siderable, perhaps more so than when more generally attended to. 



The land best adapted for the culture of madder is a deep 

 loamy substantial soil, not too stiff and heavy, nor overly light and 

 sandy; this should be twice ploughed in autumn, and left rough 

 during winter, that the frost may mellow and pulverize it, then 

 ploughed again in April, immediately before planting, taking care 

 every time to plough it as deep as possible. 



The time of planting is about the latter end of April, or imme- 

 diately when the young buds begin to appear above ground, or as 

 soon as possible after. The young shoots are then taken from the 

 sides of the mother plants with as much root as possible, and are 

 planted in rows three feet asunder, and plant from plant in the 

 rows twelve inches distant; observing to plant each slip down to 

 its top or crown. 



In the first year of planting madder, it is customary to plant kid- 

 ney-beans, lettuces, or other low dwarf-growing crops, between the 

 rows; but it is absolutely necessary to keep the ground clean from 



