156 
CULTURE OF RHUBARB. 
good as when grown under other circumstances. Others again take 
up old roots of four or five years standing, and plant them in large 
pots of rich mould, as thick as the roots can be placed in each pot ; 
these pots are taken either to a peach-house, greenhouse, pine-pit, 
or any other place where they can have a good heat, but experience 
has taught us that old roots when forced, never produce stalks so fine 
as young roots under similar treatment. Another method practised 
at Holly-Bush Hall, near Lichfield, is found very successful, partic¬ 
ularly with the strong growing sorts; it is true a very large quantity 
of dung is required to give a sufficient heat in severe weather, but 
where it can be accomplished it answers extremely well. The young 
roots are permanently planted two feet apart, in beds three feet wide, 
with alleys betwixt them two feet wide, and one and a half feet deep. 
In the autumn, after the leaves are off, fork the beds over, to the 
depth of four inches, and break the soil small with a rake head, then 
place a Sea-cale pot over each root, and cover the soil in the inside 
with dry sand six inches thick ; this done fill up the trenches with 
dung from the stables, well .shaken together, and carry it up one 
foot three inches above the beds, then cover the beds with dry littery 
straw, to the height of one foot three inches above the tops of. the 
pots. The sides of the beds should be built up with bricks and 
pigeon-holed. 
The System of Culture we would recommend, is one that we have 
practised ourselves with the greatest success; and first we shall give 
a short detail of our method of 
Sowing the Seed ,—About tbe end of February or beginning of 
March make up a bed of stable dung, about three feet high at the 
back, and two feet six inches at the front; when well beaten down 
with the fork, and nicely levelled off, set on a frame of the size re¬ 
quired, and lay on the bed, about nine inches thickness of good 
light rich mould, mixed with a third of good rotten dung, beat these 
ingredients well together; and when the surface is level, scatter the 
seeds broadcast, and cover them about half an inch thick, with the 
same soil broken fine; then put on the glasses, and in about three 
weeks the plants will be up. As soon as they begin to appear, give 
abundance of air, and continue to increase it, so that in April the 
glasses may be taken of altogether, they will, however, require pro¬ 
tection from frosts at night, until they are ready to plant out in the 
open ground, which will be in May. 
Planting Out .—If it is intended to plant out for permanent use, 
select a quarter of good rich soil, and trench it at least three feet 
deep, adding a good supply of well rotted dung ; be careful, how- 
