£20 OF ESCULENTS. SECT* XV. 



before the juftly admired long prickly, and has fewer 

 feeds : It has an evident difference in tafte, and is moftly 

 liked. The early African is a very favourite cucumber 

 with fome gardeners. 



Seed mould never be faved, except from fpiny, hand- 

 fome cucumbers. See, Of raifing Cucwnbers in the 

 laft feftion. 



Endive is a Jallad and culinary vegetable, of which 

 there are three forts, the curled green and zuhite, and 

 the plain, or broad leaved. The plain, or Batavian 

 endive, is but little ufed in fallads, as the curled is fo 

 much preferable, though cooks prefer it forftewing: 

 The green is the hardieft, and therefore the late fowings 

 fhould be all of this fort. 



Sow endiveat three feveral times, between the middle 

 of May, and the middle of July, at equal intervals. 

 Some of the firft may, perhaps, run for feed ; but yet 

 a little mould be then fown ; as alfo at the beginning 

 of Auguft for late ufe. Scatter the feeds thin, and do 

 not fuffer them to grow in clu iters to become weak. 

 When the plants are about three inches high, plant 

 them out in an open fituation a foot afunder, watering 

 them at the time and twice or thrice after, till they 

 have taken root. The fame fowing will make feveral 

 crops, drawing the ftrongeft firft, and in a week after 

 more. The bell heads are produced from robuft plants 

 never moved, and which have been well watered in a 

 dry time. Endive fhould have a rich foil. 



Thofe planted out after Michaelmas fhould be on 

 warm borders; but if long after, (as towards winter) 

 the method of planting is thus, which blanches at the 

 fame time : Draw earth to an high ridge, under a funny 

 wall, and taking up carefully fome iuil grown endive 

 in a dry ftate, gather the leaves up clofe, without 

 breaking, tie them neatly withbafs, and put them clofe 

 together, fideways; i.e. horizontally, in the ridge, al- 

 moft to the top of the leaves. If any fufpicion of wet 

 in them, hang the plants up by the roots, in fome 



covered, 



