RHUBARB 
89 
over with pots and warm litter is good, as it gives 
better flavoured stalks than from lifted roots forced in 
strong heat. 
I have referred to seedlings and their value, and we 
raise plants every year for forcing in this way. The 
seed is sown in April each year, and the very early 
kinds are selected, but the well-known Champagne 
comes true from seed. The seed is sown in land 
well manured and the surface made fine, in drills 2 
feet apart. Sow very thinly, and when large enough 
thin to 12 inches apart. The next season every 
other root may be removed and planted in good land, 
given more space, or the whole may be taken up and 
transplanted, and will then make good forcing plants 
the next autumn. If not intended to force’, the first plan 
is good, but in all cases there must be room allowed 
for the plant to develop. 
For forcing purposes we usually use the Early Scarlet, 
or Royal Albert. Myatt’s Linnaeus is an excellent 
variety, as also is the Paragon ; the latter is large and 
very prolific, and for general purposes the well-known 
Victoria is an excellent variety. I have referred to the 
Sutton ; this may be classed as a superior form of 
Victoria, earlier than that variety, with a bright red 
stalk, the colour of which is well retained after the 
cooking ; the stalks are large and of splendid quality. 
Recently there has been a small form of Rhubarb 
introduced from the Colonies, and this differs from 
ours in that it starts so early into growth in the autumn 
that it requires no forcing whatever, but to prevent 
damage by frost it needs cover of some kind. It is sent 
out by several firms ; it is also grown in the United 
States, so that it will soon become well known. 
Another new Rhubarb is Daw’s Champion, a very 
early and good form, a grand forcer. It will be seen 
that there is a wide selection of really good kinds. 
