Cultivation of various Culinary Vegetables. 103 



ness, and sweetness, which are the consequence and intention 

 of our artificial culture. On this account only I venture to 

 reject the worthy president's advice ; and prefer the practice 

 which long experience has approved. One improvement on 

 this, however, I have myself adopted with success, and which 

 may be worth noticing : it is to open the trenches about mid- 

 winter, and dig in the dung ; in these, cauliflowers, lettuces, or 

 cabbages may be raised; and on the intervals, spinach, radishes, 

 &c., all which may be off before the time of planting celery. 



Mushrooms in winter, I obtain by a very simple thougfi 

 not a new process. Provide boxes 3 ft. long and 1 ft. 8 in. deep ; 

 a quantity of horse-droppings, perfectly dry ; some spawn, and 

 some light dry soil. Fill the boxes by layers of droppings, 

 spawn, and soil, which must be trodden perfectly tight; 

 repeat these triple layers till the boxes are full, and all trodden 

 firmly together. Four such boxes at work, are sufficient for 

 a moderate demand ; and of a dozen, four brought on at a 

 time, and placed on the flue of a pine stove, or of any other 

 forcing-house, will produce a fair supply. The surface of 

 these portable beds must be covered with a little hay, and 

 occasionally, though sparingly, watered. It is not absolutely 

 necessary that they be set on the flue of a hot-house: the 

 kitchen cupboard, or any similar place, will suit equally well. 

 This plan is also convenient in always affording a plentiful 

 stock of superior spawn. 



The same-sized boxes will also do for asparagus ; but, for 

 this purpose, a sufficient stock of three-year-old plants must 

 be at hand; also eighteen boxes, four of which are the neces- 

 sary set to be forced at one time for a middling family. Half 

 fill the boxes with decayed tanner's bark, leaf-mould, or any 

 other similar mould; on this pack in the roots as thickly as 

 possible, and fill up the boxes with the bark, &c. Any place 

 in a forcing-house will suit them ; on the flue, under the stage, 

 or, in short, any place where they can enjoy the necessary 

 degree of heat. Besides asparagus and mushrooms, sea-kale, 

 rhubarb, Buda kale, angelica, small salad, as well as all other 

 potherbs, may be raised in the same manner. One of its 

 chief advantages is, its leaving so much fresh dung for other 

 purposes of the garden, as well as enabling the gardener to do 

 with less than the land-steward may be disposed to allow him. 

 It is unnecessary to show of how much value such processes 

 may be in minor establishments. 



I am. Sir, yours, respectfully, 



James Housman, 

 Clajpt07i Nursery f February, 1828. 



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