20 



On the Cultivation of Sea Kale. 



upon an average each blanching pot affords a dish twice in a 

 season. 



No vegetable can be so easily forced as this, or with so 

 little expence and trouble ; for the dung is in the finest pos- 

 sible order for spring hot-beds, after the Sea Kale is gathered. 

 The only thing necessary, is to be very particular in guard- 

 ing against too much heat, keeping the temperature under 

 the blanching pots as near to fifty-five degrees of Fahrenheit's 

 thermometer as may be, but never higher than sixty. For 

 this purpose in November and December, according as you 

 want your Sea Kale, prepare a sufficient quantity of fresh 

 stable dung, to cover both the beds and alleys, from two to 

 three feet high ; in the quantity to be laid on the beds, a great 

 deal must always be left to the judgment of the gardener, 

 who will act according to the mildness or severity of the sea- 

 son. The dung should be closely pressed down between the 

 blanching pots, placing heat sticks at proper intervals, which 

 being examined occasionally will indicate the heat below. 

 After the dung has remained four or five days, examine the 

 pots. Worms often spring above the surface, and spoil the 

 delicacy of the young shoots : the best remedy against these, 

 is to cover with dry sea-coal ashes, sifted neither very small 

 nor very large; salt also effectually destroys them, and will not 

 injure the Sea Kale. The crop will be ready to gather in three 

 weeks or a month from first applying the heat, but so much 

 mischief ensues when this is violent, that I would advise every 

 one to begin time enough, and force slowly, rather than 

 quickly. It is also necessary to cut the leaves off a fortnight 

 or three weeks before they decay, from such plants as you 

 intend to force very early. 



