MARKETING 



77 



crown alluded to. Many people are afraid of cutting 

 low, but I have had plants even twelve years old 

 quite level with the ground ; when in the autumn the 

 leaves are removed and the plants prepared for forcing, 

 should there be late in the season a quantity of plants 

 which cannot be forced in any way, they should, before 

 growth commences, be covered up with coal ashes, sand, 

 or light soil, over which should be placed straw or 

 bracken fern, both being non-conductors of heat. This 

 will prolong the season, as well as secure the kale from 

 becoming purple, which a few hours' light (should the 

 shoots break through) will effect, and one of the prin- 

 cipal features in good kale is its whiteness. 



There are many places by the sea where it grows 

 naturally just above high water mark. The inhabitants 

 between Calshot Castle and Leap in Hampshire, in the 

 autumn when the shoots died down, used to put shingle 

 a foot or more in depth over the crowns, the kale thus 

 becoming beautifully blanched in the spring. The pro- 

 duce was taken to the Isle of Wight and Southampton. 

 This practice no doubt is still carried on in the south of 

 England, and there is no reason why such should not be 

 anywhere carried out on the English coast where suitable 

 and secure spots offer, and there are many such. 



Marketing 



When sent to the best markets, seakale is fastened to 

 punnets and carefully protected by paper. I could never 

 quite understand why punnets should be considered best. 

 Would it not be better if kale were carefully wrapped 

 in paper softly tied with raffia grass and packed like 

 asparagus with soft material to prevent bruising r Since 

 being in the west of England I have found no good 

 examples of growing or packing. In fact, where these 



