Nov.] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 559 



leaves; then lay a covering of dry sandy earth on the top of each 

 bed, the whole length, so as to give it a rounding; on this, place a 

 coat of dry straw, drawn and laid on advantageously to cast off' the 

 wet, and of a sufficient thickness to effectually resist the frost; after 

 which cut a trench around the bed to carry off" and prevent any lodge- 

 ment of water. Here you can have access to your celery, and it will 

 continue in a high state of preservation during the whole winter and 

 early spring months. 



Endive may be preserved in a frame, or cellar, as directed for 

 celery, or as recommended in page 519. 



Cardoons may be preserved either in sand in a cellar, or by bank- 

 ing up a sufficiency of earth to them where they grow, and covering 

 the tops, &c. with straw or long litter. 



N. B. All the above work must be performed in dry weather, and 

 when the plants are perfectly free from wet, otherwise they will be 

 very subject to rot. 



Sowing Rhubarb, Sea-kale and other Seeds. 



You should now sow the seeds of rhubarb, sea-kale, skirrets, ale- 

 sanders, dill, and any other kinds of seed that do not vegetate freely 

 if kept out of the ground till spring; sow them as directed in March, 

 and be not under the least apprehension of the frost doing them any 

 injury. 



Mushrooms. 



The mushroom beds must be carefully protected from wet and 

 frost, as directed in page 516, &c. 



Winter-dressing of Artichokes. 



The winter dressing of artichokes is an important operation, and 

 on it depends much of their future success. This should not be 

 given them as long as the weather continues mild, that they may 

 have all the advantage possible of growth, and be gradually inured 

 to the present increasing cold; but it should not be deferred till 

 the setting in of hard frost, lest the entire work be prevented 

 thereby. 



In the first place, cut all the large leaves close to the ground, 

 leaving but the small ones which rise from the hearts of the plants; 

 after this, line and mark out a trench in the middle between each 

 row, from fourteen to sixteen inches wide, presuming that the 

 rows are five feet apart, as directed under the article planting arti- 

 chokes, in page 203. Then lightly dig the surface of the beds from 

 trench to trench, burying the weeds, and as you proceed, gather 

 the earth round the crowns of the plants to the height of about six 

 inches, placing it in gently between the young rising leaves with- 

 out burying them entirely under it; this done dig the trenches one 

 spade deep, and cast the earth thereof equally between and on each 

 side the plants, so as to level the ridges, giving them at the same 



