By Mr. William Morgan. 



311 



is capable of enduring severe frosts. It affords the best 

 greens, after the first sharp frost has mellowed its flavour, 

 until the middle of February. The height depends in some 

 measure, on the space given to the plants; those which 

 are put out at great distances, run more to leaf, and do 

 not grow so tall as those planted closer together ; which 

 last plan is best, because, as the part to be taken for 

 use is only in the centre, no advantage results from a 

 superabundance of external leaves. Its height is usually 

 from two to three feet ; but I have seen a variety much 

 dwarf er, which I prefer ; the leaves are of a bright light 

 green, deeply lobed, and not very wide, slightly rugose on 

 the upper surface, having indentations on the under surface, 

 corresponding to the projections above, with veins of a 

 greenish white. The chief peculiarity lies in the margins 

 of the leaves, which are plaited in a very singular manner, 

 and thereby widened so considerably that the actual margin 

 of the leaf, in consequence of the plaiting, will measure 

 three times as much as the edge of the leaf would, if only a 

 quarter of an inch of it were taken away all round. The 

 effect of this on the younger leaves is, to make them look 

 completely fringed, and as if the entire surface were in 

 that state ; but on examination, the centre part of the leaf 

 will be found to be formed as I have described it. As the 

 leaves enlarge, this excess of margin bearing a smaller 

 proportion to the surface, the leaves on the outside of the 

 plant appear less fringed. The crown, or centre, of the 

 plant cut off so as to include the leaves which do not ex- 

 ceed nine inches in length, is the part to be gathered for 



