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151 
Chesham, Rickmansworth, Chenies, and Amersham, where the crystal water 
flows over the debris of the chalk or gravel in shallow streams, about 
6 or 7 inches deep; this, or a less depth, being that selected for the growth of 
the plant. After the crop is gathered the rubbish is cleared out, and the 
bottom levelled for planting again. This is always done in the month of 
September, by taking small patches of the plants, about a small handful of 
each, and planting them in lines with the course of the stream, removing a 
little of the gravel with the hand to make room for them, and placing a handful 
over the roots of each plant when put in. The plants are set in at about 
1 foot to 15 inches apart. They grow rapidly, and are fit for gathering by 
Christmas, continuing to give their crop all the ensuing season. The gathering 
of them is a cold and most miserable job ; and the gatherer is encased in a 
long and strong pair of leather boots. 
Perhaps the most difficult point in managing them is to regulate the depth 
of the water. This is, however, managed by leaving the plants to grow 
thickly, and thus impede the flow of the water to gain more depth. During the 
winter season there occur a few failures of plants. These are generally gone 
over and mended in May, when they produce till the next replanting time, 
when all is re-arranged. 
I have now, I think, detailed the whole culture that this plant receives. 
It is perfectly simple, and certainly gives an extraordinary return for the small 
amount of labour required. There is, however, one drawback which I have 
not yet mentioned. There is a plant which is always concomitant with it: this 
is the Veronica beccabunga, or Common Brook-lime, a plant used sometimes as 
a salad, neither deleterious nor acrid, but still one which the Water Cress grower 
extirpates as much as he can, and one which causes him much additional 
labour when cleaning out the pond. This plant has large, dark, elliptical 
leaves, from the axils of which proceed bunches of purple flowers in July. 
The account which I have given is that of the mode adopted at J. T. Drake’s, 
Esq., of Shardeloes Park, Amersham. In this place there is a very fine lake 
of water, supplied by a brook called the Misborne, which comes from Missenden. 
At the commencement of the Park it flows over three or four acres of chalky 
and gravelly soil, which is devoted to the culture of Water Cresses; it being 
precisely the soil and situation in which they luxuriate, and from which a 
great produce is obtained by the simple processes which are here described. 
The Water Cress is largely cultivated in the environs of Paris, where it 
conduces much to the comfort of the plebeian class. In England its transit 
to London is vastly expedited by the various railways; and those stores of this 
Cress which are thus sent up for public consumption meet the eye of the con¬ 
sumer in a perfectly fresh and unalloyed state. This is a great point, as with 
all fresh vegetables. To have them at their best there is nothing like speedy 
consumption. 
When talking to the man who is employed to cultivate the Cress at 
Shardeloes, he remarked to me that it was immaterial whether it was planted 
in the mud or the gravel; but as far as my own observation goes he is quite 
wrong; and in this I find I am supported by the opinion of Loudon, in the 
“ Encyclopaedia of Gardening,” where, speaking of those grown in mud, he 
says: “ Cress grown in this way is, however, far inferior to such as are grown 
in a living stream flowing over chalk or gravel.” 
I have now endeavoured to explain the management of this vegetable in a 
way which I hope may be found intelligible to the reader ; and I have only to 
hope that my attempt will prove useful, and that the consumers of this salad 
will derive additional zest from perusing this short narrative. 
Amersham. Henry Bailey, C.M.R.H.S. 
