March.] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 211 
are to form little circles with your finger about six or eight inches 
in diameter, and on each, scatter a few seeds, then cover them with 
light fine mould three-quarters of an inch deep. The seeds should 
be sown as early in spring as possible, or if this had been done ia 
November, they would vegetate in spring with more certainty; when 
the young plants appear, keep them free from weeds, and in dry 
weather give them frequently a little water, but not much at a time; 
and above all things, protect them from the mid-day sun till they get 
considerably strong, for if exposed fully to this, during their infant 
state, few of them would escape destruction thereby; were you to 
place a piece of board on end, about fifteen inches broad, and two 
feet and a half high, at the south side of each hill, leaning a little 
over the plants, this would answer the end effectually, without 
depriving them of the benefit of the circulating air. The first 
season is their critical period, having survived that, they have no- 
thing to fear afterwards. Onions, lettuces or any other low grow- 
ing crops may be either sown or planted in the intervals for the 
first year, so that they are kept at a proper distance from the young 
plants. The supernumerary plants, one being sufficient to be left 
in each of these places for ultimate perfection, may be transplanted 
the spring following into new plantations, similarly prepared and 
at the same distance. 
The November following, all the leaves being then decayed, 
cover the crowns of the plants two inches deep with earth from 
the intervals; and if there is danger of any wet lodging, throw up 
trenches, rounding the beds as is commonly done to asparagus, and 
for the first winter, lay some dry litter over the plants. In the 
March following, strip the covering till you just perceive the tops 
of the plants, give all the ground a slight digging and dress it 
neatly after you, observing to keep the beds well hoed, and always 
free from weeds. 
Thus proceed every autumn and spring, till the roots have four 
years growth, when some of them may be taken up for use; but it 
is generally admitted that their medicinal virtues increase until 
they are eight or ten years old. 
You must be very circumspect in the choice of ground; particu- 
larly, that it is not subject to lodge wet, for this plant by no means 
agrees with too much moisture, preferring a rich dry sandy loam 
to any other kind of soil. 
Rhubarb may also be propagated by offsets from the old roots, or 
by sowing the seed in seed -beds, and transplanting them when a 
year old into such beds and at the same distances as before directed 
for sowing the seed; but they always produce larger and better 
roots when sown where they are to remain. 
The proper time to take up the roots for use is in autumn, after 
the leaves and stalks are totally decayed; when taken up, wash them 
clean, trim off the small fibres, and lay them in an airy place to dry, 
for four days, then rasp off the outward skin, which greatly obstructs 
the quickness of drying, from the pores not being laid open for the 
herbaceous moisture to exhale; the mere stripping off the bark will 
not be sufficient, the rasping it off, and the lacerating of the out- 
