March.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 211 
having a mattock to assist him occasionally to clear them; as Ke 
takes them up, he throws them on the top of the ground, and in this 
manner they proceed from row to row, till the whole plantation 
is taken up. 
The small side roots are then trimmed off; the best divided into 
lengths for fresh sets, which are to be carefully preserved in earth 
till the time of planting, if not planted immediately, and the main 
roots are washed clean, dried and tied in bundles, for sale. 
When Liquorice is intended to be cultivated on a large scale, 
the rows may be planted three feet distant, and the labour of hoeing 
performed with a amall plough. 
If not sold immediately after having been taken up, the culti- 
vator must be careful, not to suffer them to be put together in large 
quantities, lest they should become mouldy, as this vegetable, un- 
less preserved in a dry place, is very liable to such corruption. 
Rhubarb. 
There are several species of this plant, but the Rheum fialma- 
turn, or true officinal Rhubarb, is that which merits particular atten- 
tion. It is a native of China, and -Russian Tartary, has braved the 
climate of St. Petersburgh, grows to good perfection in Scotland, as 
far north as Perthshire (lat. 56°); also in England, Turkey and 
various other parts of Europe; is an article of considerable con- 
sumption, consequently of national importance, and highly deserv- 
ing of attention in the United States. It grows to the greatest pos- 
sible perfection among the Tartarian mountains, from Selin to Tibet, 
without any other culture than what is afforded by the scraping of 
the Marmots; and shall we despair of bringing it to perfection, 
where soil and climate is perfectly congenial, and nothing wanted, 
but the enterprize of a few spirited individuals to make a com- 
mencement? There is no doubt, that if the culture of this, and 
Liquorice, were duly attended to, but the crops would more than 
amply repay the cultivators; and although a partiality to articles 
of customary culture is in the way, it is to be hoped, that new and 
necessary plants will, from time to time, be introduced, and culti- 
vated, with advantage to the individuals, and the nation at large. 
The following is the mode of its culture: having procured a suf- 
ficient quantity of seed of the true kind, select a piece of light rich 
sandy loam, such as answers for asparagus, and after giving it a 
good coat of manure, trench it two or three spades deep, if the good 
soil admits; after which, level the top neatly, and lay it out by line, 
into squares of four feet, at the angles or intersections of which, you 
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 in 
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 
