Jan.'] THE FORCING GARDEN. Gi l 



be kept up above 50°, and not allowed to exceed 60°, and in 

 about three weeks after covering up, the crop will be fit for 

 use. When the ridge of dung is finished, thrust in two or 

 three watch-sticks, by which the temperature can be at any 

 time ascertained. It is seldom necessary to add to the ridge 

 of dung, unless the weather should be extremely cold and 

 windy ; and the same dung used to force one set of roots, with 

 the addition of a small quantity of fresh added, will be in a fit 

 state to place over a second set of roots, and so on, during the 

 forcing season, rejecting such as becom-e too much decayed. 

 As the crop is gathered, and no appearance of more shoots 

 springing, the plants are then to be allowed to rest till spring ; 

 but to protect them from the injury of frost, leave a few inches 

 of the rotten parts of the dung over them. In spring they 

 will shoot up and perfect leaves, so as to fit themselves for 

 forcing again in the same manner the following season. One 

 set of roots will last in good condition for forcing, in this way, 

 for many years; however, as they will become eventually 

 large, and spread their crowns to a breadth, not to be conve- 

 niently covered with the blanching-pots, new plantations should 

 be made every third or fourth year ; this will allow of a suc- 

 cession of fresh roots for forcing, and as the oldest are de- 

 stroyed, will thus afford a piece of ground fit for any crop to 

 follow. 



Sea-kale is also forced on hot-beds, exactly as is already 

 described for asparagus, and is blanched by keeping the lights 

 covered with mats or straw; or in want of lights, wooden 

 shutters are made so as to fill the spaces of the lights ; by this 

 method the roots, are, of course, of no use after the crop is 

 gathered. In placing the roots into a frame for this purpose, 

 it is necessary to cut away all the superfluous large roots, and 

 leave only such as have buds at their extremity. If each piece 

 having a bud be separated from the rest of the root, and be 

 eight or twelve inches in length, it will be found, under good 

 management, to produce as good a crop as if the whole mass 

 of roots were retained. By thus reducing the roots, a greater 

 number will be got into one frame, and each of these parts of 

 the root will be found to contain sufficient organizable matter 

 to perfect the crop. Afler the same manner, the roots may he 



4 N 



