442 The Principles of Vegetable- Oardewing 



on the variety, but particularly on the soil and the tillage. 

 There are only three or four popular varieties, of which 

 the best known are Victoria, Linnaeus, and Mammoth 

 Red; but the old-fashioned rhubarb will often produce 

 a better leaf -stalk when given high cultivation than the 

 best strain of Victoria will when grown under neglect. 

 The rhubarb is not particular as to soil, but it thrives 

 best in land that is mellow and fertile to a considerable 



Fig. 141. Rhubarb seedlings. Two-thirds natural size. 



depth. Soils that have a high subsoil or hard-pan are 

 to be avoided. The rhubarb plantation should last for 

 a number of years, and it is therefore important that 

 the original preparation of the land should be of the 

 best. Land should be heavily fertilized. There is little 

 danger of adding too much stable manure-, particularly 

 if the soil is either very hard or very loose. If the land 

 is not in good tilth, it is best to grow a preparatory 

 crop, as potatoes or some root crop, and to use lib- 

 erally^ of stable manure in that year. If the land is 



