KITCHEN-GARDEN PLANTS. CHAP. 



been kept from the frost and the wet during the winter. 

 This sowing takes place in September j the lights are 

 placed in such a way as to let no wet get into the frames j 

 the lights are taken off entirely in mild weather j a great 

 deal of air is given ; and, in March, these plants are fit to 

 go out into the natural ground, where they are sometimes 

 injured by the frost, but generally they are not. This is 

 the way in which the great crop of early lettuces is 

 generally raised 5 and, that it is the best way, the long 

 experience of the market gardeners has amply proved. 

 As to the sorts of lettuces, the green coss and the white 

 coss are the best : the former is of a darker green than 

 the latter, is rather hardier and not quite so good. Among 

 fhejlat sorts are the brown Dutch, the green cabbage, and 

 the tennis-ball : there are many other sorts, as well of 

 upright as of flat, but it would be useless to enumerate 

 them, as it would only bewilder the reader in his choice. 

 As to the saving of the seed, half a dozen plants that 

 have stood the winter will be quite enough. The seed 

 will be ripe in August; birds must be kept from it, or 

 they will have all the best before you gather it. The 

 stalks ought to be cut off and laid, till they be perfectly 

 dry, in the sun, the seed then put away in a perfectly dry 

 place, and in a place where no mice can get at it j for, if 

 they get at it, not one good seed will they leave you in a 

 very short time. 



150. MANGEL WURZEL. This may be called 

 cattle-beet ; but some persons plant it in gardens. It is a 

 coarse beet, and is cultivated and preserved as the beet is. 



159. MARJORAM. One sort is annual and one per- 



