504 
SEA KALE. 
self-sown plants might be taken up and potted, 
only a few extra should be put in to allow for 
casualties, as the mignonette transplants badly. 
The best mignonette I ever saw grown was 
treated in this way ; but as it is not every 
gardener who can procure pigeon's dung, I 
may add, that guano will be found an ex- 
cellent substitute. This admirable fertilizer 
must, however, be applied in a liquid state, 
and not before the pots have become well 
filled with roots, when a small quantity of 
guano, given at intervals of a week or so, will 
increase the vigour of the plants in an extra- 
ordinary degree. A second crop might be 
sown in the beginning of September, and 
managed in the same manner. Single plants 
will attain a large size in six-inch or eight- 
inch pots, if the main branches are pegged 
down as they grow, and the flowers are kept 
pinched off for a time." 
It is by far the most desirable plan to sow 
the seeds at once in the pots, instead of taking 
up and potting the self-sown plants from the 
flower garden ; for although mignonette may 
be transplanted, yet it does not bear this 
operation well, and in the hands of the 
inexperienced, it is more liable to prove 
unsuccessful than the plan of sowing in pots. 
Few people are aware to what a size this 
annual plant may be grown under appropriate 
treatment, and as some persons may feel in- 
terested in the subject, we will briefly indicate 
what are the essential points to be kept in 
view. The seed should be sown in small 
pots, and as soon as practicable each pot should 
be cleared of all but one — the best — plant. 
This is to be very carefully re-potted as often 
as the roots become numerous ; in the mean 
while every indication of flowers must be 
removed as soon as visible. Mr. Whiting's 
directions, just quoted, as to soil, situation, and 
watering, may be followed. This treatment 
may be continued till the plant has grown to 
any required size within reasonable limits, 
when it may be allowed to bloom ; but on no 
account must the flowers be suffered to open 
while increase of size is desired. The plants 
may also be trained at first with a single stem, 
so as to form a miniature tree. 
SEA KALE. 
The Sea Kale (Crambe maritime,) is a 
native of the sandy sea-shore in several parts 
of Britain, from which situations, especially 
in the neighbourhood of Chichester, it appears 
to have been collected and used as an esculent 
long before its introduction as an indispensable 
vegetable to every garden of the least pre- 
tensions. A very closely allied species 
(Crambc tatarica) has also been introduced 
from the saline deserts in the neighbourhood 
of the Caspian Sea, and little doubt need be 
| entertained but it would be equally worthy of 
| cultivation with our indigenous plant. At 
any rate, the experiment would be worth trying. 
To maintain a regular succession of this 
vegetable, a portion of ground should be sown 
every year, or every other year at the farthest, 
according to the extent of the establishment 
to be supplied. The best soil for it will be 
found to be a deep, free, rich loam, which should 
be well trenched and manured, previous to 
sowing the seeds. This latter operation should 
be done in open weather in April. It being a 
plant with 1 hick fleshy roots, penetrating deep 
into the soil, it is better to sow the seeds where 
the plants are to remain, so as to avoid break- 
ing them in transplanting, and thus weakening 
them for a season or more. In order to 
economise the heating material when the plants 
are forced, the seeds should be sown in 
patches, from three to four feet apart every 
way, on beds containing at leabt three rows 
each. They should be covered about three- 
quarters of an inch with earth, being deposited 
in a ring considerably less than the size of the 
pots under which they are to be forced. 
When the young plants are sufficiently ad- 
vanced, they should be thinned, leaving from 
four to six in each patch. Afterwards they 
should be kept clear of weeds, and the soil 
should be kept loose and deeply stirred about 
them, and as the leaves decay, they should be 
cleared away, and a slight dressing of well 
rotted manure should be spread over the bed, 
so as to protect the young crowns from 
damage by frost, or otherwise. The treat- 
ment the second and third years should be 
similar, and in the fourth they will be strong 
enough to begin to force, seldom sooner. The 
application of salt as a top-dressing has been 
found very beneficial to Sea Kale, as might 
reasonably be expected from its native place 
of growth. 
In forcing this plant in the open quarters, 
it should be borne in mind that the applica- 
tion of heat should be very gradual, or the 
plants will be so watery and drawn as to pos- 
sess little flavour, and the roots will be mate- 
rially damaged for another season. Commence 
therefore to cover up the plants from six weeks 
to two months before you wish to cut, keeping 
only a gentle warmth in the linings, and check- 
ing any sudden increase of temperature by 
opening or turning them over. Perhaps the 
best material for covering the forcing pots is 
leaves, as they are not so liable to heat vio- 
lently as dung alone. If leaves cannot be had 
in sufficient, quantity, then half-spent dung, 
by itself, or mixed with leaves, will generally 
be found to afford a sufficient temperature to 
bring this plant to perfection for the table. 
Fresh plants should be covered about once a 
month in order to maintain a constant succes- 
sion. The best pot for covering St.'a Kale is 
