Oct.] 



THE CULINARY GARDEN. 



241 



they are removed with greater facihty. Sea-kale pots are also 

 often used for this purpose, and answer equally well, as far as 

 the blanching of the crop is concerned, but they are less con- 

 venient from their greater size. 



In whatever way endive is blanched, it is of the first conse- 

 quence that the plants be perfectly dry before the process com- 

 mences ; to ensure this, they should only be covered in the 

 afternoon of dry days. 



PLANTING ENDIVE FOR WINTER AND SPRING USE. 



Endive should still be planted for a successional crop, and 

 at this season, a dry and sheltered situation should be chosen ; 

 but, when the situation or soil is damp, banks or ridges 

 should be tinown up, on which to plant them. The steep 

 sides of asparagus-beds are often planted with endive and 

 lettuce by the London commercial gardeners, who find them, 

 by such means, to stand the winter well. They also raise 

 banks three feet, and often more, in height, upon the sloping 

 sides, on which they set the plants. Private gardeners, who 

 have much less ground, often fill their spare cucumber-frames, 

 or pits with endive, in which they remain during the winter, 

 and are blanched at the same time. 



SOWING CARROT-SEED TO STAND THE WINTER. 



In favourable situations, carrots are found to stand the win- 

 ter, and when that is the case, they come in as a useful vege- 

 table in spring, long before those sown for general crops are 

 fit for use. It is needless to say, that the warmest situation 

 should be chosen for this crop. As the chance of their standing 

 is precarious, and as they are to be used when very little, a 

 small spot of ground will be suflicient for an ordinary family, 

 as they may be sown very thick. 



TAKING UP AND STORING POTATOES FOR SEED AN D WINTER USE. 



Potatoes should now be taken up in dry weather, if suffi- 

 ciently ripe, and stored by for winter and spring use. Potatoes 

 intended to be eaten, probably cannot be too ripe, as we sus- 



