ON REAPING KITCHEN VEGETABLES. 



85 



wood, and the like, are all easily cultivated, either by seed, 

 by cuttings, or by dividing the roots, and rnay be planted 

 in the borders, or in the corners of the beds allotted to the 

 larger crops. Hyssop, Lavender, Saee. and Rosemary 

 mny be multi]_3lied by taking off slips of a moderate size 

 in the autumn, as soon as the plants have ceased flowering, 

 and planting them out where they are recjuired, with a 

 dibble. If the slips are taken from the base of the plant, 

 and have a few roots to them, they will be much more 

 likely to succeed. Fennel produces an abundance of seeds, 

 which vegetate most freely ; indeed, unless yormg plants 

 are required, it should not be allowed to go to seed, as 

 the seeds will scatter themselves, and it will be difficult 

 to exterminate it. Mint may be readily propagated by 

 pieces of the roots, which spread with great rapidity, and 

 a very small piece will grow : it requires a moist soil, and 

 will grow in any shaded situation. Thyme, Balm, Cha- 

 momile, Savory, and Marjoram are easily increased by 

 dividing the roots, and the two latter by seeds, if rec|uired. 

 Kue and Southernwood can only be multiplied by cut- 

 tings, or, what is better, by slips, though the former of 

 these occasionally ripens seeds. Any common soil will 

 suit herbs of this description. 



It is well to keep up a succession of young plants, as 

 the old ones soon become unsightly or straggle about. 



IV.— SEEDS. 



The plants cultivated in kitchen gardens for their 

 seeds, are Peas, Beans, Kidney Beans or French Beans, 

 and Scarlet Runners. 



Peas, when fully ripe, contain, in one thousand parts, 

 five hundred and one parts of starch, thirty-five parts of 

 gluten, twenty-two parts of sugar, and the rest fibre ; but 

 when green, their sugar is in much larger proportion than 

 their starch, so that green peas are a luxury by no means 

 so nutritive as ripe peas. 



The best soil for peas is one light and rich ; but with 



