112 



Salad Crops 



exclude the light seems to answer the purpose. Planks, 

 mats or straw are commonly used. In other cases, each 

 individual plant is tied up, the outer leaves being drawn 

 towards the center and a rubber or string being 

 used to keep them in place. Loss is apt to occur 

 if the leaves are too closely compacted, and the 

 cord should be somewhat below the center of the 

 plant, allowing the blanching to proceed as with 

 celery. In the greenhouse, where the soil is 

 damp, the air moist and the ventilation slow 

 when blanching by any method, loss by rot is 

 sure to occur unless much 

 precaution is taken. Careful 

 ventilation and temperature 

 regulation are necessary. In 

 a general way, the lower the 

 temperature the slower the 

 blanching process, from 2 to 3 

 weeks or more being necessary. We have found for our 

 conditions that a paper-covered frame gives satisfactory re- 

 sults. This excludes the light, allows fair circulation of air 

 and there is little loss from rot." The method may pro- 

 vide a suggestion for other than glasshouse conditions. 



The achnese or " seeds," and the young plants coming 

 from them, are seen in Figs. 45 and 46; it is interesting 

 to compare them with chicory (in Figs. 48 and 4^). 



47. 



Witloof 

 (X %). 



Seeds (fruits) of 

 chicory (X 4). 



Chicory 



Chicory is very closely related to endive, hut the leaves 

 (for salads and greens) are mostly desired in ivinter or 

 spring from roots that have been grown for the purpose 



