211 PERENNIAL 



CROPS 



in forced rhubarb, would be injurious to the 

 garden rhubarb. In out-of-door growth, the 

 vigor and fruitfubiess of the plants in any grow- 

 ing season, are largely determined by the spread 

 of leaves in the preceding season. For this 

 reason, after the cutting season is over, the 

 plants are encouraged to develop leaves; the 

 smaller and weaker ones being cut off that the 

 large ones may grow still larger, but all seed 

 stalks should be cut, so as to preserve the vigor 

 for next season's growth of stalks. 



When ready for market, rhubarb is tied in 

 bunches of two to five stalks and an acre will 

 produce about 3000 dozen bunches. That is 

 a pretty good return when it requires only about 

 a pound of seed to sow an acre in the first place. 



Rhubarb is native to eastern Asia and has no 

 serious insect enemies or diseases. 



DOCKS AND SORRELS. 



Those who are fond of very early greens will 

 be glad to know of the garden varieties of docks 

 and sorrels which come earlier than any other 

 pot-herbs. They were originally imported from 

 France where they are in general use. 



The best varieties are the Spinage Dock and 

 the Large Belleville, really a sorrel. The Spinage 

 Dock is a week or ten days earlier than the 



