February 20. 
THE cottage gaiidener. 
837 
piece of ground, neither too clamp, nor, on the other 
hand, too shallow. Rooting deeply in the ground, it 
cannot be expected to produce good-sized globular heads 
in any quantity, if its roots be denied that depth of 
soil which is necessary to resist the scorching heat of the 
dog-days; neither can we expect the plant, which is, at 
best, only half-hardy, to stand the winter, when its whole 
system is charged with the moisture it derives from the 
damp position allotted it; therefore, when it is in reality 
wanted in good condition, it must be treated generously, 
and in point of produce, for a given space of ground, 
few things do better, one of the principal failures being 
the damaged condition it is often seen in when spring 
returns, and which cannot well be prevented by the 
means always at command, but much may be done by 
timely applying some protective matter, as a small coni¬ 
cal heap of straw, litter, or leaves, or it may be green fir- 
tops, furze, fern, or any other shelter, only do not let 
such darkening matter entirely cover the foliage, other¬ 
wise you only run into one extreme by avoiding another. 
We have, while in the south of England, often seen arti¬ 
chokes stand the winter with no other covering than 
their own dead leaves lying about them, but usually 
some other covering is necessary. 
We will suppose them to have passed through the 
winter safely, and the middle of March to have arrived. 
It is now, therefore, time to uncover them, dig around, 
and dress them up, and, if necessary, to make new 
plantations, as offsets can now be easily taken, which 
will make fine plants by autumn, and probably bear 
then. We need hardly point out that trenching, dung¬ 
ing, and well preparing the ground, is necessary to ensure 
success ; such routine business presents itself in too 
evident a manner to require even a notice here. It is 
usual to plant them three feet apart in the row, and four 
feet between the rows; this is none too much, but the 
first season a slight crop of something, as lettuce, or 
radish, might be taken off the ground between the plants; 
and lator on the offsets of the artichokes, if they go on 
all right, will occupy the whole space, and generally 
produce fine heads, after the old plants have ceased 
bearing, thereby carrying on the crop until a later 
period. 
Horseradish. —This useful vegetable, and pernicious 
weed—for the gardener knows it by both appellations— 
is often banished to some out-of-the-way place, where, 
overgrown with weeds and dirt, it is seen struggling 
for an existence with couch, water-grass, and other weeds 
peculiar to the locality, and has often been dug over to 
extract any roots that are at all fit for use, until the 
complaints from the kitchen, conveyed through the poor 
i garden boy, that they cannot any longer use such stuff, 
forces the gardener to adopt means to have a better 
article another season, and accordingly he sets about it 
at once, and his attentive eye soon finds out a suitable 
position, where a deep, damp, but not clayey, soil exists, 
and sufficiently removed from the usual promenades of 
garden visitors, as its appearance is seldom such as to 
add grace to the spot it occupies. Then, having dug, 
or rather trenched, this ground two feet deep, and buried 
' dung, or other enriching matter, at the bottom of each 
j trench, he takes advantage of some dry day early in 
] March, and with an iron crowbar, or other ponderous 
tool, as a dibber, he makes holes at least eighteen inches 
deep, in rows not less than two feet apart, and about 
' one foot plant from plant. Into those holes he drops 
the crown of a head of horseradish, some two or three 
inches in length, and, allowing the hole to remain open, he 
leaves the crop so, unless the situation be one secure from 
the attacks of game, and other vermin, and then he either 
sows or plants some slight crop on the ground between. 
We need hardly observe, that the crowns so dropt in ought 
to fall to the bottom, and not lodge half-way—the 
moisture of the ground, and what earth will naturally 
fall in, is sufficient to keep them alive, without being 
entirely immured; but if they aro so, they are sure to 
force their way up to the top, unless very damp indeed; 
in fact, so tenacious is this plant of life, that when small 
portions of it get into the squares of the kitchen-garden, 
it is no easy matter to eradicate it again. No ordinary 
weed holds its place with more pertinacity than does 
this favourite accompaniment to that emblem of English 
hospitality, “ Roast Beef;” and we believe the vexation 
arising from its tenacious habits is the means of its 
being denied that culture due to its worth. 
The best plantation of horseradish we ever saw was 
on a peat bog, where a depth of some four or five feet of 
black peat soil rested on a bed of pipe-clay ; this place, 
intersected by open ditches, was also planted with 
fruit trees, with a varied result, of which 1 may speak 
hereafter; but its most useful crop was horseradish, of 
which some two or three acres were grown for the Lon¬ 
don market, and such pieces of clean, straight, and 
sound roots I never saw before nor since. But as every 
one does not possess such a spot, it may be very well 
grown by adopting the means mentioned above; and 
its site, often being one not coveted by other things, 
may, in most cases, be found in the environs of the 
kitchen-garden. 
Kitchen-Garden Sundries. — Cauliflower Plants that 
have been standing in hand-glasses and frames, must 
now have full exposure both day and night; in fact, we 
presume them to have been so inured to currents of air 
the last few weeks, that their planting out might now be 
proceeded with, provided the weather and other things 
be favourable; but if severe, or what is nearly as bad, a 
continuance of cold, blighting, easterly winds occur, 
they had better remain where they are for a week or two 
longer; the middle of March is not a bad time to plant 
out those expected to produce the second crop ; the first 
we suppose to be those occupying the hand-lights, and 
after being duly thinned to remain where they are. 
Thin out, and plant on some well prepared piece of 
ground, the Autumn-soicn Onions, which the mildness of 
the winter has allowed to stand uninjured. It often 
happens that those planted out excel those left to bulb 
on the seed-bed. Where no autumn ones were sown, 
and cannot be obtained, a very good substitute may be 
had by planting some of the small ones of last summer’s 
growth, as recommended in our essay on onions; these, 
though never making handsome, good keeping onions, 
yet form tolerably large bulbs, and carry on the con¬ 
sumption until the ripening of the spring crop ; and we 
are always averse to plunder it in the middle of its 
growth, in the manner we have seen some obliged to do, 
when the demands of a large family left them no alter- , 
native. Onions for seeding should also be planted now; | 
and those who grow only for their own use, will see the 
propriety of selecting the best bulbs. It is common to 
choose the largest for that purpose, and those a little 
grown are often taken, simply because they are unfit for 
other use ; now w r e think this latter plan objectionable, 
because in planting such bulbs it cannot be said they : 
are the best keeping ones—and we all know their keep¬ 
ing property is one of the best they have. In planting, 
allow them about eighteen inches each way, and only 
slightly cover the bulb. Leeks required for seed may 
also be planted out, but they are of less moment than 
onions and some other things. 
Attend to things in the course of forcing, and as tho 
season advances more air may be admitted. Rhubarb 
that has been producing some time may now be relieved, 
and some slight protection placed over it, to enable it to 
endure the cold weather that may yet be expected; other 
crops we suppose to be following. Sea-kale may now be 
had in less than half the time it took before Christmas, 
and, after this, seclusion from the air is all that is 
wanted, as this vegetable, contrary to many others, is in | 
