148 THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. [chap. vi. 
neglected British plant* which for so many 
years was only eaten by the poorest fisher¬ 
men* became our highly prized and much 
esteemed sea-kale* which is now so great a 
favourite at the tables of the rich. 
Sea-kale is raised either from seeds or cut¬ 
tings of the roots. In either case* when the 
plants are a year old, they are put into a 
bed thoroughly prepared as if for asparagus* 
and planted in the same manner. The first 
year the plants will require little care* except 
cutting down the flower-stems wherever they 
appear; but the second year they will be 
ready for forcing. This is performed by 
covering the plants first with river-sand; 
then turning what are called sea-kale pots 
over them* and lastly* covering the pots to 
the depth of fifteen or twenty inches with 
fresh stable dung* the heat from which will 
draw the shoots up* and make them succu¬ 
lent and fit to eat. 
Artichokes are another kind of permanent 
crop* but they are not suitable for growing 
in a small garden. The artichoke is a na¬ 
tive of Italy* said to have been introduced 
in the reign of Henry VIII, It is prop a- 
