VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION AND CULTTJEE. 163 



of leached ashes. They require an open exposure, free 

 from the shade and drip of trees, or the plants will spindle 

 and produce worthless heads. The rows must be four feet 

 apart, and the plants three feet in the rows. Plants from 

 seed are better and more permanent than from offsets. 



If propagated by suckers, these must be slipped off in 

 spring from the parent plant, retaining as many fibrous 

 roots as possible. They should be selected when the 

 leaves are eight or ten inches high, and betaken only from 

 those shoots which are sound and strong, and have al- 

 ready formed some roots. Uncover the old stools to the 

 origin of the suckers, of which from six to twelve will be 

 produced to each plant. Allow two or three of the best 

 of these to remain ; slip off the others with a heel, from 

 which trim off the rough part smoothly, retaining the 

 fibrous roots. Remove the large outside leaves, or their 

 exhalations will exhaust the plant before it gets rooted. 

 They are greatly invigorated if set in water three or four 

 hours before they are planted. Set them in rows, the 

 same distance as above, about four inches deep, in holes 

 made with a trowel ; press a portion of fresh soil about 

 their roots and water freely. When this has settled away, 

 fill up to the surface with soil. Keep sun shades or shin- 

 gles upon the south side of them a few days, until estab- 

 lished, giving water, if needed, until they begin to grow. 



The only other attention they require during the sum- 

 mer is the frequent use of the hoe. They will produce 

 heads the same year from June to October, and annually 

 thereafter from April to June or July, according to the 

 season. The quality is improved, though at the expense 

 of the quantity, by allowing only the head surmounting 

 the main stem to grow on each stalk, removing all the 

 laterals of the stem while young. As often as the head 

 is cut, the stem should be broken down close to the root, 

 to encourage the production of suckers before winter. 

 They should receive their winter dressing before the ground 



