By John Livingstone, Esq. 185 



themselves with plants, without any danger of failing, and 

 with this advantage, that it enables them to bring their Cab- 

 bages to market two or three weeks earlier than can be done 

 by the usual way of producing pjants from seeds. 



Their method is this : In February or March, they plant 

 closely, in a corner of the ground, a number of Cabbage roots 

 (the Cabbages having been cut a short time before) and for 

 some time they cut off the sprouts, which now frequently 

 form into small heads ; but in May and June, the sprouts 

 extend along the ground, as runners, to the distance of seve- 

 ral feet, and even yards. In July and August, these runners 

 are covered with young shoots, very much resembling 

 Cabbage-plants without roots ; these shoots are slipped off 

 from the runners, planted in beds, covered with a net, and 

 carefully watered. In September, the slips are found to 

 answer in all respects as Cabbage-plants ; but Cabbages thus 

 obtained, when full grown in December, are seldom so firm 

 as those raised from seed, and they are also more disposed 

 to shoot. 



The Chinese cultivate a great variety of plants, such as 

 Asters, Chrysanthemums, Anthemedes, &c. much in the 

 same manner, and thereby preserve their almost endless 

 varieties, to obtain which, they devote much care and at- 

 tention. 



The young shoots are supplied, by way of root, with a 

 small ball, composed of clay, tempered with water, wood 

 ashes, soot, old mud wall, or sometimes a little old manure. 

 They are kept under the shade of a tree, and carefully 

 watered. 



