108 



CULINARY OR KITCHEN GARDEN. 



SEA-KALE POT. 



The best kind of sea-kale pot is that 

 represented by our fig. 39 ; it consists of 

 two parts — a body, «, and a top, b — which 

 latter is necessary, as it can be taken off 

 to examine the state of the crop, and also 

 to gather it without hav- 

 ing to remove the whole 

 of the material. They 

 are of various sizes — from 

 10 to 14 inches in dia- 

 meter, and from a foot 

 to 20 inches in height. 

 There are other contri- 

 vances to effect a similar 

 end, such as boxes per- 

 forated with holes, others 

 made of 2-inch laths nailed together, and 

 about as far apart from each other, the top 

 ones being left loose for lifting when the 

 crop is to be gathered. Reason points 

 out the defects of these, as they do not 

 exclude the moisture, accompanied with 

 various gases, which are evolved during fer- 

 mentation of rank stable-yard litter, and 

 which, in many cases, communicate a dis- 

 agreeable flavour to the kale. 



Amateurs may readily force sea-kale, if 

 they have any dark warm cellar or out- 

 house, or one that can be heated to some- 

 thing like 55°, in the following manner: — 

 Procure an old cask or a large packing- 

 box ; perforate the sides of either with 

 holes 2^ inches in diameter, and about a 

 foot apart, making the first row of holes 

 a foot from the bottom. Procure the 

 roots; divest them, if large, of a few of 

 their most extending roots ; place them in 

 the bottom of the cask or box, with their 

 crowns exactly opposite the holes : when 

 the first row is thus arranged, pack the 

 roots around with sand or soil of any de- 

 scription, and work it well amongst them ; 

 over this arrange another set of roots in 

 like manner ; proceed till the box or cask 

 is full. Give a gentle watering with tepid 

 water as the process of packing proceeds. 

 In the course of a fortnight, three weeks, 

 or a month, according to the heat in the 

 apartment, the young buds will begin to 

 protrude through the holes, and in another 

 week or so many of them will be fit to 

 cut for use. 



As a general rule, avoid a high tem- 

 perature, whatever method is followed ; 

 from 55° to 60° is the proper heat to 

 secure a certain return. 



Taking the crop. — When the kale is from 



3 to 6 inches in length, it is then in the 

 most proper state for use. Each bud 

 should be cut off with a sharp knife, 

 taking about a quarter of an inch of 

 the crown attached to its base to keep it 

 together in compact form. This portion 

 of the old crown is to be neatly pared 

 down close to the part where the young 

 sprout springs from, the kale dipped in 

 clear water to remove any dust that may 

 have attached itself to it in the process of 

 gathering, and then be placed in a pun- 

 net-basket, of which fig. 35 is an example. 

 If to be sent to a distance, it is best tied 

 up in small bundles, which prevents the 

 tops from being broken. From four 

 to six buds make a dish. Three stout 

 plants will produce about five dishes in 

 a season when forced, and an ordinary 

 managed plantation in the open air will 

 continue in bearing about six weeks. 

 There is only one variety known. 



§ 9. — THE BORECOLE. 



Natural history. — Borecole (Brassica? oleracea 

 sabellica, De C), a family of the Brassicse tribe 

 both useful and numerous. The chief charac- 

 teristic of the borecoles is that they are open- 

 headed, not hearting like the cabbages, nor pro- 

 ducing eatable flowers, like the cauliflower and 

 broccoli. They are for the most part extremely 

 hardy, and we entertain a strong notion that 

 some of them are very early removes from the 

 Brassica? oleracea in its wild state. Some of the 

 sorts are much cultivated in the north of Scot- 

 land, a circumstance arising from their hardy 

 constitution, for, deprive them of that, and those 

 varieties to which we allude have not a redeem- 

 ing quality — ill-coloured, coarse, rambling-grow- 

 ing subjects, requiring long boiling and a strong 

 digestion. Prejudice, we believe, continues the 

 cultivation of those over that of one of the very 

 best of the family, the German greens or Scotch 

 curlies, which we believe to be equally hardy. 

 They all belong to the same natural order, to 

 the same class and order in the Linnsean ar- 

 rangement as the rest of the esculents comprised 

 in this chapter. Borecoles, in one shape or other, 

 are cultivated in every country where attention 

 has been paid to the rest of the Brassicaceous 

 esculents. 



Uses. — The crown or centre of the plant is 

 cut out towards the middle of November, and 

 continues to be used throughout the whole 

 winter, while in spring numerous small delicate 

 sprouts are formed, which are acceptable at 

 that season. "When properly cooked, they are 

 tender, sweet, and delicate, and are by some 

 supposed to become intenerated after being 

 exposed to the frost. The coarser sorts may 

 be thus improved, the better sorts do not require 



