Jan.] 



THE FORCING GARDEN. 



6S7 



nor light to enable it to produce either of them ; all it requires 

 are heat and moisture. If the roots of such plants be removed 

 entire, as soon as their leaves become lifeless, they will be 

 found to vegetate, after being placed in situations sufficiently 

 warm and moist, as strongly and vigorously as if they had re- 

 mained in their first position ; but they will of course only con- 

 tinue to live to produce one crop of leaves, unless their leaves be 

 allowed to perfect themselves under natural circumstances, to 

 collect sufficient nutriment for the future demands of the plant ; 

 therefore we find rhubarb (as is also the case with asparagus 

 and sea-kale) to produce those parts of their leaves, stalks, 

 &c., which are used in culinary preparations in perfection, 

 without their endeavouring to push out fresh roots to collect 

 nourishment from the mould in which they are placed. 



The roots of rhubarb dug up entire, at any period after the 

 decay of the leaves of the preceding season, and carried into 

 any forcing-house, there placed upon the surface of the borders 

 in any convenient place, and supplied with plenty of water, 

 will produce a reasonable quantity of leaf-stalks for use during 

 the whole winter months ; and by this simple means, we can 

 obtain this desirable esculent from the end of November till it 

 comes in again in the open ground. 



In removing these roots, it must be done with as large balls of 

 earth as convenient, not that they require the earth to nourish 

 them, but it is the means of equalizing the degree of tem- 

 perature and moisture round their roots, and prevents them 

 from being dried up by the action of the air. They may 

 readily be blanched in any situation, by covering them with 

 mats, supported by hoops or large pots, such as are used for 

 sea-kale, only larger, or in deikult of these, boxes may be placed 

 over them, so as to exclude the light ; or they may be equally 

 cultivated by placing the roots upon the surface of a pit oi 

 common frame, formed of hot dung or leaves, and covered with 

 wooden sashes, or the glasses put on, and kept closely covered 

 with mats or soft hay, straw, or any other light material. The 

 roots placed in a cellar, or any other spare house, when the 

 temperature can be kept a little above that of the open air, 

 will be found to produce a good crop, and come in before that 

 in the open ground. Rhubarb may also be successfully forced 



