566 Report on Remarkable Esculent Vegetables 



described. The cultivation of it is confined to the province 

 of Tras-os-Montes, and the other northern parts of Portugal. 

 Different parts of the true Couve Tronchuda are applicable 

 to culinary purposes. The ribs of the outer and larger leaves 

 when divested of the thin green parts and well boiled make 

 a good dish, somewhat resembling Sea Kale. The heart or 

 middle of the plant is however the best for use ; it is peculiarly 

 delicate, tender, and agreeably flavoured, without any of the 

 coarseness which often belongs to the Cabbage tribe. The 

 plants are too tender to endure the frosts of our climate; 

 they cannot therefore be cultivated as winter greens. The 

 young seedlings should be preserved under frames during 

 winter, to be planted out at the same time as Cauliflowers for 

 an early summer crop, and the succession must be kept up 

 by spring and summer sowings. They require a well manured 

 soil. 



Dwarf Couve Tronchuda. 

 This is much earlier and dwarfer than the preceding, being 

 when full grown only from fifteen to eighteen inches in 

 height ; the leaves are middle sized, rounded, smoother and 

 flatter on the surface, and form a small loose head. When 

 the lower leaves are taken off for use, the plant throws out 

 numerous sprouts or shoots from the lower part of the stem, 

 which is not the case with the preceding variety. Seeds of 

 this were sent from Lisbon to the Horticultural Society by 

 the late John Jeffery, Esq. in 1822, and were also presented 

 by the Duke of Bedford to the Garden in 1824. From 

 information communicated by Mr. Warre, it is conjectured 

 that this variety is distinguished in Portugal by the name of 



