AND GUIDE TO THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



91 



with the finest of the soil. The seed may be sown in drills fifteen inches apart, thinning out the 

 plants so that they may stand four inches apart in the rows, to furnish plants for transplanting after 

 one or two season's growth ; or it may be sown at once where the crop is intended to stand.. In the 

 latter case the drills should be two feet six inches or three feet apart, or they may be made in beds 

 five feet wide, with two-feet alleys between the beds, putting three drills in a bed ; in either case the 

 plants should be thinned out, so that they may stand about a foot asunder in the rows. And except 

 on strong tenacious soils, which are easily injured by treading, when wet, in gathering the crop, &e., 

 wc recommend sowing in consecutive lines ; where the land is clayey the ground should be set out in 

 beds, and the soil dug out of the alleys to the depth of twelve or fifteen inches, and placed on the top of 

 the beds ; this will raise them so that there will be little danger from the lack of surface drainage. The 

 Asparagus is very impatient of stagnant moisture about its crowns during the winter, and, on strong 

 soils, trenches of moderate size, say three inches deep and wide, should be taken out and filled with 

 sharp sand previous to sowing. The plants will probably not make as much progress in this the first 

 season as if they had been sown in the soil, but the roots will soon extend beyond the sand, and in 

 after years this will prevent water lodging about the crowns and rotting them. 



Transplanting and after Management. — The plants, if sown with the intention of trans- 

 planting them after one or two seasons in the seed lines, should be encouraged by an occasional 

 soaking of manure water during the growing season ; and a liberal dressing of rich manure should be 

 spread between the rows in winter. Transplanting should be done in April, when the ground is in 

 good working order. If the ground has been properly prepared, then set a line and take out a trench 

 suifieiently wide and deep to allow of spreading the roots, and cover the crowns about two inches. 

 On strong, heavy, imperfectly drained soils, sand should be placed about the roots and over the 

 crowns, as recommended under the head of sowing ; but this will be unnecessary on light sandy 

 or well drained heavy soils. The roots should be carefully taken up, avoiding cutting or injuring 

 them as much as possible ; and any which may appear to be decaying about the crown should be 

 rejected. During the growing season keep the ground free from weeds, and the surface free and open 

 by frequent hoeings ; a soaking of manure water may be given with advantage when the weather 

 is droughty. Clear off the haulm in autumn, when it will part from the crowns by a slight pull, 

 and apply a dressing of well decayed manure, which may be lightly forked in between the lines, at 

 once or in spring. During the second and following growing seasons too much manure water 

 can hardly be given, and on light sandy soils a sprinkling of salt applied two or three times in the 

 course of "the summer will be of great service, particularly where manure water cannot be used freely. 

 The plants should not be cut from for use until they become strong and throw up fine grass, and 

 cutting should not be continued very late in the season. The ground between the lines must be 

 liberally manured every autumn, if the plants are expected to yield large crops of fine strong grass, 

 and they must be afforded every assistance during the growing season. 



Covent Garden Giant per oz. 3c?. per lb. 2s. 



BEET. 



For culture, see Beet in Section III., Edible Rooted Plants. 



per pItt. per oz. 



PeriJetual Spinach Beet, very excellent, the leaves may be gathered throiighout the 



summer •• 0 4..0 6 



Beck's Improved Seakale Beet (new), the mid-rib of the leaf is from 

 two to three inches broad, very white, delicate in flavour, and is an excellent 

 substitute for seakale 1 0 . . . . 



BOEECOLE, OR KALE. 



Preparation of the Soil. — To secure heavy crops of this hardy useful winter vegetable, a deep 

 rich soil is essential, and the ground should be trenched two feet deep and liberally manured. 



Time and Manner of Sowing.— For tlie main crops, sow about the middle of March in well 

 prepared soil, covering the seeds thinly and evenly ; and another sowing may be made about the 

 middle of May, which will furnish plants for filling spare ground in August. 



Time and Manner of Planting. — The Cottager's Kale, which is one of the best and most 

 useful of this tribe, should be planted in rows not less than two feet six inches apart, allowing the 

 same distance between the plants ; and unless these are properly cared for, and planted out as soon 

 as they are sufficiently strong, they will not, in cold localities, furnish sprouts until spring, and the 

 crop will then be of comparatively little value. A moderate breadth of the dwarf curled, and any 

 other esteemed sorts, should be got out as early as circumstances will permit. Spare ground may, 

 however, be planted with these as late as the middle of August, and although the crop will not be so 

 abundant as from those planted in June, they may yield a fair produce at a time when vegetables are 

 scarce, particularly if the plants are transplanted" with a little care into nursery lines, about four 

 inches apart, so as to have them strong and stocky. Keep the ground between the rows open and 

 clear of weeds, by frequent stirrings, and the tall-growing varieties will be benefited, particularly in 

 exposed situations, by ridging the soil up about their stems. If the weather is dry at the time of 

 planting, water occasionally until the plants get fairly established, 



per pit. per oz. 



Asparag^US, or ghou de Milan, a valuable sprouting, hardy variety 0 3..0 6 



Buda Kale (sometimes called Asparagus), an extremely hardy winter kale 0 6 



Cottag'er's Kale, the best of the section, extremely hardy and proHfic, the stem 



being covered with shoots from top to bottom 0 4..0 8 



