ON EEARIKG KITCHEN VEGETABLES. 



83 



The seed may be sown in shallow drills, a little succes- 

 sively every week in spring, summer, and autumn, by 

 those who like it cut in the seed-leaf; but one sowing will 

 last many weeks if it is not cut till in the fourth or fifth 

 leaf, as many prefer it. These remarks apply to the common 

 garden cresses, but the curled cress will remain good for a 

 great length of time, if the outside leaves only are picked 

 off, as it will soon produce more, and in this respect is 

 exactly like parsley. In ^dnter it may be sown in pots, 

 kept in a window, or on what are termed pyramids, or even 

 on moistened sponge or flannel. In sowing seed of the 

 common garden cress, or of mustard, as it is not required 

 to produce large or strong plants, air may be wholly dis- 

 pensed with ; heat, darkness, and moisture alone being ne- 

 cessary to induce it to germinate. It should always be 

 sown on the surface of the soil, and never covered with it, 

 for when it is covered with earth, it is much longer in vege- 

 tating, and the more rapidly it is grown the more tender 

 will be the crop, and also more agreeable in flavour. In 

 order to render a covering of soil unnecessary, the sowings, 

 whenever they are made, should be covered with a piece of 

 garden mat, old carpet, flannel, or other similar material, 

 and by keeping these constantly moist, and having a mo- 

 derate degree of heat, the crop will be fit for use in five 

 days or a week. Articles of this description, however, 

 must be removed as soon as the seed begins to vegetate, 

 and the produce of the sowiogs that are made out of doors, 

 wiU always be better if a hand-glass is kept over them, 

 though this is not essential. A warm southern situation 

 is also preferable. But these remarks apply chiefly to the 

 common cress; as the curled cress may be sown on any 

 border, and covered about a quarter of an inch with soil. 



Scurvy grass, when seed can be procured, is treated 

 similarly to cress, and has the look and flavour of water- 

 cresses. American cress may be sown in April or May, 

 and will stand the winter. Water-cresses have lately been 

 cultivated to a great extent near London, and ought never 

 to be neglected where water can be had to grow them. 

 Seed from all these is easily saved, taking care to select 

 fine plants for producing it, and water-cresses will grow 

 readily from cuttings. 



