444 THE FORCING GARDEN. [NOV. 



which should be thrown into an heap, and be slight- 

 ly fermented, as for a hot-bed. 



Blanching-pots for this esculent are now in pretty 

 general use. The usual size is fifteen inches high, 

 and fifteen inches in diameter, and they are shaped 

 very much like a bell-glass. Some have them made 

 upright in the sides, to the height of a foot, and 

 flatly rounded at top. They have all handles, by 

 which they may readily be lifted. The improved 

 kind, used in forcing this esculent, are made in two 

 parts : the under part upright, a foot in height, and 

 the upper part, a flatish lid to fit ; by which means 

 the crop can be gathered without lifting the lower 

 part, or being under the necessity of removing so 

 much of the dung or litter (and of course cooling 

 it,) as otherwise must be removed. Garden pots of 

 the largest size, however, answer very well, and in 

 cases where covers of the above descriptions cannot 

 easily be procured, may be applied. Three or 

 four dozen of covers, or of large flower-pots, will force 

 sea-cale enough to serve a large family from Christ- 

 mas till April, provided the plants be in good con- 

 dition for forcing. 



In the last week in the month the covers and 

 dung being ready, let them be placed on the lines 

 of sea-cale, as close to each other in line as may be 

 convenient, according to the distance at which the 

 roots or stools of the plants are situated ; press- 

 ing the pots firmly into the ground, and, if gar- 

 den-pots, stopping each hole closely with a cork, &c. 

 in order to keep out the dung and steam. Then fill 

 the intervals of the rows with the litter, gently tread- 



