BRASSICACEOUS PLANTS. — THE SEA-KALE. 



107 



in which the roots are set ; they derive 

 no benefit from it further than exclusion 

 from light and air, and being kept in a 

 state of uniformity as regards moisture. 

 This we apply pretty copiously by water- 

 ing the roots and soil with tepid water, 

 though others object to watering after the 

 roots are arranged. In placing the roots, 

 they are set closely together, and the soil 

 is wrought regularly in amongst them, and 

 up to within 2 inches of the tops of the 

 crowns. Some, where the demand is not 

 very great, place the roots in boxes or large 

 flower-pots, which they place in any dark 

 and out-of-the-way place ; and in this way 

 we have seen as fine blanched sea-kale at 

 Christmas, in a wine-cellar in the city of 

 London, as we ever saw in any quarter. 

 Under the stages in plant-houses, behind 

 the flues in early vineries or peach-houses, 

 or, indeed, wherever there is a vacant square 

 yard of space, this vegetable may be pro- 

 duced in perfection. We state these simple 

 means, because they are within the reach of 

 most or of all, and also with a view to get 

 rid of the waste of time and material by at- 

 tempting to produce it in the open ground. 

 From five to six weeks will be required 

 between the time of setting in the roots 

 and gathering a dish, in places without 

 any artificial heat ; in such as have a 

 uniform temperature of from 50° to 60°, 

 the time will range from two, three, to 

 four weeks, sometimes less. It is, how- 

 ever, best to allow excitement to go on 

 very slowly, as the shoots will be much 

 finer and stronger. When the crops are 

 gathered, the old roots are thrown away. 

 Those, however, which have been forced 

 latest may be cut up into pieces of 3 to 

 4 inches in length, and planted in lines 

 to produce a succeeding supply. Young 

 seedling plants are, however, much pre- 

 ferable. 



The practice of the London market- gar- 

 deners is thus described by Mr Cuthill : 

 "When all the frames are removed, the 

 dung and mould where cucumbers grew 

 during summer are taken away, the 

 trenches, which are 2 feet deep, are again 

 filled with hot dung, and mould to the 

 depth of 8 inches is put on the dung. 

 The sea-kale roots are dug up, all the 

 small buds round the main eye are pared 

 off, leaving that by itself, which induces 

 it to push stronger and finer. And now 

 planting is commenced : a furrow is cut 



out by the spade across the bed, and they 

 (the roots) are put in as thickly as possi- 

 ble. 5 feet across will hold from twenty- 

 five to thirty roots; the next furrow is 

 cut out at 4 inches from the last, and so 

 on till the whole is finished ; from 4 to 6 

 inches of straw is placed immediately on 

 the crowns. The beds are hooped over, 

 and straw is put over the hoops ; and in 

 this way I have seen 50,000 plants forced 

 during the winter and spring, and that by 

 one man alone." If we calculate that five 

 heads are quite ample for an ordinary dish 

 suitable to a large family, this grower 

 must have himself provided no less than 

 10,000 dishes of this excellent vegetable 

 by artificial means, and probably double 

 that number from the open air. Such 

 data will give some idea of the produc- 

 tion and consumption of a London mar- 

 ket-gardener. 



Forcing the plants where they grow 

 requires from six to seven weeks from the 

 time they are covered up until the crop 

 is fit for gathering. This, however, to 

 some extent depends on the season and 

 the quality of the fermenting material ; 

 and to effect this in the best manner, 

 trim off all the decaying leaves from the 

 plants, stir the surface up slightly around 

 them, sprinkle about a teacupful of salt 

 or caustic lime around the crowns, or 

 water with lime-water to banish the earth- 

 worms, Lumbricus terrestris, L., which are 

 apt, upon the application of heat, to throw 

 up their casts about the young kale, and 

 thus render it very dirty. The same 

 means secure the buds from the attacks 

 of snails, Helix aspersa, and slugs, Limax 

 agrestis, L., the milky-slug, L. ater, L., 

 the black slug ; L. Maximus, the black 

 striped slug ; and Testacellus scutulum, the 

 shield slug, which are all apt to feed upon 

 the young buds, and certain to gather 

 round them in consequence of the genial 

 heat. Over either of these a spadeful of 

 clean river or sea sand should be placed, 

 or, in default of these, a spadeful of finely- 

 sifted coal-ashes, either of which keeps 

 the young kale quite clean and fit for 

 use. 



The sea-kale pots should then be placed 

 over them, one pot to a plant, and over 

 these the fermenting material, to a depth 

 sufficient to raise a fine genial temperature, 

 not, however, exceeding around the pots 

 60°; less will do. 



