THE MANSE GARDEN. 151 



those reared for sale, besides costing five or seven 

 shillings a hundred, are wiredrawn and soft as grass, 

 and half withered before you get them. They can 

 endure no frost ; they are long in taking root ; and in 

 some sunny day you find they have gone out of sight. 



A spring sowing of cauliflower comes in time to 

 succeed the crops raised from winter plants ; and the 

 succession may be kept up till November or Decem- 

 ber. At any time when the flowering advances too 

 rapidly, the stocks may be retarded or preserved from 

 frost in the manner recommended for brocoli. Some 

 have transplanted the latest portion of the crop into 

 earth deposited under the roof of a shed; and by shel- 

 tering, airing, watering, and picking off withered 

 leaves, the cauliflower season may no doubt be pro- 

 longed ; but this trouble will seldom be judged neces- 

 sary, as other things come instead and in better season, 

 and what is lost by the temporary absence of a friend 

 is regained by the improved relish of next meeting. 



Celery. Of this there are several varieties; but 

 the best for all purposes is the upright, not turnip- 

 rooted, and that which has solid, not hollow stalks. 

 Celery is the lightest of raw vegetables, and excel- 

 lent in soups or stewed. To have plants in good 

 time,, a little artificial heat is necessary. The seed 

 is sown on a decayed hotbed early in March ; and 

 the seedlings are removed, about the end of April, 

 to a rich sheltered border, where they are planted a 

 handbreadth apart, that they may become strong and 

 fibrous-rooted. These qualities are perhaps better 

 secured by wetting and beating a piece of ground, so 

 as to be impervious to the roots ; and then laying 

 down wellwrought compost to the depth of four 

 inches, and upon this sowing the seed in small drills, 



