650 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Part III. 



3907. Maker observes, that the only thing necessary in forcing sea-kale, is to be very particular in 

 guarding against too much heat, using trial-sticks, and never if possible, exceeding 55°. So much mis- 

 chief ensues when this is violent, that it is far better to begin time enough, and force slowly, rather than 

 quickly. Like Abercrombie, Maher covers with dry sea-coal ashes, sifted neither verj' small nor very 

 large. These are the best remedies against worms, which, after forcing is commenced, often spring up on 

 the surface, and spoil the delicacy of the young shoots. Salt, he adds, also effectually destroys worms, 

 and will not injure the sea-kale. 



3908. Abercrojnhk says, unless the weather be unusually rigorous, it will not be necessary to renew the 

 linings of hot litter oftener than once in seven or eight weeks. Take away the exhausted part, and mix 

 the remainder with fresh dung and leaves. Maher says, after the sea-kale is gathered, the dung will be 

 found in the finest possible state for spring hot-beds. When the stools will produce no more shoots, 

 remove the litter and the covers, and dress the ground, in order, as observed by Maher, that their leaves 

 may be suffered to grow, and acquire and return nutriment to the root, for the next year's buds. 



3909. Nicol says, he knows an instance of a row of sea-kale having been forced in the above way every 

 season for seven years, in which the plants in it are as vigorous and healthy as others in the same com- 

 partment that are forced only every second year. 



3910. Barton forces sea-kale on dung-beds, under frames, exactly in the manner generally adopted for 

 asparagus. The advantages be considers to be the certainty of having the latter vegetable fit for use at 

 any particular time, and the saving of dung and labor. The latter saving, he says, " must appear obvious 

 to every practical gardener, when he considers the difficulty attending the keeping up a proper and 

 regular degree of heat, by covering with dung over pots and other similar methods, (as generally prac- 

 tised,) at so inclement a season of the year ; requiring three times the quantity of dung to produce an 

 equal number of heads, to what will be necessary when the roots are placed in a frame ; for a com- 

 mon melon-frame will contain as many heads as are capable of being produced in two drills of twenty 

 yards each, by covering with hot dung. He finds two frames, of three lights each, quite sufficient for a 

 large family ; the first prepared about the beginning of November, and the second about the last week in 

 December ; and by the time the second frame is exhausted, sea-kale will be ready for use in the open 

 ground." {Caled. Hort. Me???.) 



3911. W. Gibbs, of Inverness, {Caled. Me??i. vol. i. p. 388.) also forces in frames, blanching by keeping 

 the bed covered with mats. Economy and certainty he considers to be the advantages attending this 

 mode. As the plants are no longer of use after being forced, a succession is kept up by annual sowings, 

 and the plants are allowed to attain three years' growth before taking up for forcing. 



3912. Baldwin forces sea-kale where it stands in the open garden in the following manner : " On each 

 side of a three-feet bed, in which the sea-kale has been planted, trenches are formed two feet deep, and 

 eighteen inches wide at bottom ; the side of the trench next tlie bed is perpendicular, and the other side 

 is sloped, so as to make the top of the trench, at the surface-level, two feet and a half wide : this trench 

 is filled with linings of hot dung, on the inner edges of which, garden-lights are placed, and the glass 

 kept covered with mats until the kale is fit to cut. The same plan," he adds, " is applicable to asparagus, 

 and also to rhubarb, or any other perennial vegetable intended to be excited where it stands, and a 

 covering of boards, canvas, or mats, might be substituted for the glass lights." {Ho}-t. Tra?is. iv. 63.) 



3913. Melross, of Ardgowan, forces sea-kale in a vinery. He plants " along the back of the flue where 

 no vine-roots are, places covers on the plants, and in two weeks, when the heat for forcing vines is kept 

 up," he has " as fine sea-kale as could be desired. When a dish is cut, he hfts the roots, and supplies 

 their places by others from the open ground. He considers this a very easy and certain method, espe- 

 cially in a wet climate." {Caled. Ho?-t. Mem. iv. 164.) 



3914. Gatheiing. Remove a pai-t of the earth, leaves, or whatever is employed in 

 blanching ; cut off the heads or shoots, and slip off the stalks of the leaves. 



3915. Produce. From four to six heads, according to the size, tied together like 

 asparagus, make a dish : and, Maher says, a blanching-pot which contains three plants, 

 will afford a dish twice in a season. Hence, from sixty to a hundred pots will suffice 

 for forcing sea-kale for a large family. From the above data, it is easy to form an esti- 

 mate of the breadth of ground requisite for plantations of this plant to come in naturally. 



3916. To save seed. Let a stool which has not been cut, run in spring ; and seed will 

 be produced on every stem. 



SuBSECT. 3* Artichoke. — Cijnara Scoly?nus,'L. {Blackio. t. 458.) Si/)i. Polyg. uEqu. L.' 

 and Ci/narocephal(e, J. Artichaiit, Fr. ; ArtischoJce, Ger. ; and Carcioffolo, Ital. 



391*7. The artichoke is a perennial, with numerous large pinnatifid leaves, three or 

 four feet long, covered with an ash-colored down ; the mid-rib deeply channelled and fur- 

 rowed. Tlie time of flowering is August and September. It is a native of the south 

 of Europe, and was introduced in England in 1548. 



3918. Use. The flower-heads in an immatui'e state contain the pai't used, which is 

 the fleshy receptacle, commonly called the bottom, freed from the bristles and seed down, 

 vulgarly called the choke, and the talus or lower part of the leaves of the calyx. In 

 France, the bottoms are very cornmonly fried in paste, and they form a desirable ingre- 

 dient in ragouts. They are occasionally used for pickling ; and sometimes they are 

 slowly dried and kept in bags for winter use. In France the bottoms of young arti- 

 chokes are frequently used in the raw state as a salad ; thin slices are cut from the bot- 

 tom with a scale or calyx leaf attached, by which the slice is lifted, and dipped in oil 

 and vinegar before using. The chard of artichokes, or the tender central leaf-stalk 

 blanched, is by some thought preferable to that of the cardoon. The flowers possess the 

 quality of coagulating milk, and have sometimes been used in the place of rennet. 



3919. Varieties. There are three varieties cultivated : — 



Conical, French, or oijal Artichoke, with 

 green head. The head is oval, the scales 

 open, and not turned in at the top as in 

 the globe sort 



Globe, or largest, with dusky purpli&li 

 head. The scales are turned in at 

 top, and the receptacle more succulent 

 than the other 



The dwarfish globe; a prolific variety, 

 and Taluable as occupying little room 

 "with its head. 



3920. Estimate of sorts. The globe sort is generally preferred for the main crop ; but the conical, or 

 French, is generally considered as possessing more flavor, as the flower-heads are cut off for use when in 

 an immature state ; both sorts continue producing them from July to November. 



