354 The Principles of Vegetable- Gardening 



of leaves just at the crown. The land is then plowed, 

 and there is no danger that the plant will become a 

 pest. The small and inferior plants which are not fit 

 for sale should also be cut in order to prevent them 

 from going to seed and becoming a nuisance. The roots 

 of the garden -grown dandelion are sometimes taken up 

 in the fall and removed to the hotbed or forcing -house, 



and greens may be 

 had during the cold 

 weather . Sometimes 

 they are forced in 

 this way in a dark 

 place in order to give 

 blanched leaves. Even 

 in the field the leaves 

 may be tied up so as 

 to blanch the inner 

 part of the crown, 

 much as endive is 

 treated. 



Purslane^ oi pus- 

 ley, has been much 

 improved by the arts 

 of the plant -breeder. 

 The ordinary pusley 

 of the field is a weak- 

 stemmed plant trailing on the ground, whereas the im- 

 proved, or French purslane, grows more or less erect, 

 and has very thick and succulent stems and very large 

 leaves. Fig. 104. It is easily grown in any good, quick 

 garden soil from seeds sown in early spring where the 



Fig. 104. Spray of Frencli piirslane (X 3^). 



