VEGETABLES DESCEIPTIOX AND CULTURE. 231 



Culture. Endives delight in a light, rich soil, dug 

 deeply to admit its tap-roots, and to serve as a drain for 

 any superfluous moisture in the winter standing crop. 

 The situation should be open, and free from the shade of 

 trees. 



If desired in summer, sow as early in the spring as 

 possible. The main crop is sown near Philadelphia the 

 1st of July ; here in August or September for fall and win- 

 ter use. Sow at this season, if possible, everything just 

 before a shower ; draw a furrow the depth of the hoe, in 

 the bottom of which scatter the seed thinly, and cover 

 slightly with earth, pressing it upon the seed. Plant in 

 the evening, if dry, and before covering water copiously 

 with the line rose of a water-pot in the drill ; do not press 

 the earth upon the seed until morning ; shade during the 

 day, and continue watering in the evening until the plants 

 get rooted. The drills should be twelve or fifteen inches 

 apart. Hoe freely and keep the ground free from weeds ; 

 thin the plants when two inches high; those removed 

 may be transplanted to another location; choose moist 

 weather for this purpose, trim the leaves a little, and water 

 moderately every evening, until the plants get established 

 and during very long droughts. Those left in the seed 

 bed make the best plants. They should be thinned to 1.2 

 or 15 inches in the drill, or planted out that distance 

 apart, the JBatavian, requiring the most space. 



In about three months after sowing, as they grow stocky 

 and full in the heart, the leaves being about eight inches 

 long, tie up the leaves of a few every week or so to blanch, 

 and render them tender and remove their bitter taste. 

 Perform this in dry days. The curled sort will some- 

 times blanch pretty well if neatly earthed up without 

 being tied, but it is better to tie it. The broad leaved 

 from its loftier and looser growth needs a bandage. Fold 

 the leaves round the heart as much as possible in their 

 natural position, and tie them up with a string or shred 



