ON REARING KITCHEN VEGETABLES. 



65 



of a mucli stronger and ranker flaTOur. Seed may be saved 

 like that of onions, except that the plants intended for 

 seed must remain in the ground all the winter, and in 

 spring be removed to a warm border, where they will 

 ripen their seeds better. 



Leeks are perfectly hardy, and, therefore, must not be 

 * removed from the soil till tbey are wanted for use, as 

 they are not capable of being dried like onions. 



4. — Chives or Syze. 



This plant has similar properties to the onion and leek, 

 and is propagated by planting the small bulbs early in 

 spring, in rows four inches apart, and two or three 

 inches between the sets. Each bulb will produce a great 

 number around it during the summer. 



Chives are little known in England, but are found in 

 eveiy cottage garden in Scotland, usually grown in round 

 patches, half a foot or more in diameter. The stems or 

 leaves are cut when wanted for salads or soups, and are 

 of a very mild and agreeable flavour. The roots are not 

 eaten. The plant is useful for flavouring, and takes less 

 room than onions ; the stems springing iip again after 

 they are cut. 



5. — Celery. 



Celery, when blanched, contains both a little starch and 

 sugar, but much more fibre, and is wholesome and excel- 

 lent as a salad ; when not blanched, it contains little 

 sugar, but is wholesome in soups. 



It grows naturally in a wet marshy soil, where it is 

 extremely acrid and unwholesome ; but it thrives best in 

 rich loam which contains a large portion of decayed 

 vegetable matter or manure. It is an error to say that it 

 requires a heavy or clayey soil, as is recommended by 

 some, for the roots always thrive best in well-rotted 

 manure, and a heavy wet soil about the stems would be 

 highly injm-ious, both on account of its causing them to 

 rot, and also because it cannot be placed sufficiently close 

 to them without crushing them. Sandy soil is certainly 

 objectionable, though not on account of its being too 

 light; but because it is not sufficiently rich. The time 



