The Normandy Cress. ' 39 



I now send you a few seeds of, both for your own use, and 

 also, if you think proper, to distribute to any of your friends. 

 It is now rather late in the season to sow it for winter use, 

 which is its greatest merit. A little of it may, however, be 

 now sown very thin, which, if the winter prove mild, will 

 come into use in February, March, and April. My season of 

 sowing it is in September and October for winter and spring 

 supply ; and in March, April, and May for summer use. 

 Indeed I sow no other sort of cress, and have from four sow- 

 ings had a constant supply, besides seeds, for nearly two years ; 

 and our demand for salads is not small. To procure mustard 

 to mix with it, I sow once or twice a week during the year ; 

 and such is the usual practice when the common cress only is 

 grown. No season since I began to cultivate it (which is now 

 fifteen years) has ever been so severe as to destroy it, or even 

 to prevent its being gatliered for a day. When it is frozen 

 in winter we put it into a tub of cold water, which in a few 

 minutes thaws it sufficiently. In cold situations it may be 

 sown at the bottom of the wall ; but this precaution is seldom 

 necessary. It is not only a valuable salad herb, considered 

 merely as such, but makes a much neater garnish, particu- 

 larly for small dishes, than the finest curled parsley, and 

 may be eaten by those to whom the taste of parsley is dis- 

 agreeable. Specimens of both I send for your opinion. In 

 gathering it we only pick off the outer leaves, and those are 

 preserved as entire as possible. Bruising the leaves destroys 

 the beauty ; and by cutting the crop over with a knife the 

 central or heart-leaves are liable to be injured. I beg also to 

 inform you that I have given a supply of the seed to my old 

 friend Mr. M 'Arthur, who informs me he has commenced nur- 

 seryman at the Polygon, Edgeware Road, and whose success 

 as a commercial gardener I hope may be equal to what it was 

 while he was a serving one. I have suggested to him to grow 

 this cress extensively, as I conceive it only requires to be 

 once known to supersede the use of water-cresses, which are 

 much more difficult to cultivate, and, unless great care be taken 

 in washing them, are supposed to be often accompanied by 

 the larvae of insects. Wherein the medical properties of the 

 one differs from the other I know not : but this I know, that 

 I prefer the curled cress for a vegetable ingredient to break- 

 fast before the other, as more palatable, setting aside the 

 chance of being poisoned with water parsnep, or any other of 

 the poisonous Umbelliferae ; or having my stomach made a 

 sepulchre or a breeding -place for frogs, insects, toads, lizards, 

 and water leeches. I am. Sir, yours, &c. 



Claremont Gardens, Nov. 17. 1830. Chaeles M'Intosh. 



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