82 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 31. 
Ash as Copse-wood —It is an allowed fact, that 
where the soil is suitable for the Ash, there is no tree so 
prolitable for copse-wood. By this term is meant, a 
plantation of Ash to be entirely cut down, when large 
enough to be useful as bop-poles, handles for mattocks, 
spades, forks, forge-hammers, and for making crates, 
and various other purposes. In good land, this size, 
after the first cutting, is attained in seven or eight 
years; and I have known such copse-wood sell for fifty 
pounds an acre. Now, when it is considered that almost 
no labour or expense is incurred in the management of 
copse-wood, this return is very great. Copse-wood 
grows so thick after the third year from cutting down, 
that it actually kills all weeds, and is an excellent pre¬ 
serve for game. The only caro it requires is during 
the first two or three years after it is planted, and that 
care consists, chiefly, in keeping the Ash cloar of bram¬ 
bles, sloes, briars, and all large choking weeds. To 
form stools, which are numerous shoots that spring up 
when the centre or main-stem is cut down, these mnin- 
stems should be cut over the fourth or fifth year alter 
planting nearly close to the ground. Each stool will, 
probably, on an average, send up four or five stems, but 
if fewer it is of no consequence, because those few will 
grow stronger, and be fit for things that require thicker 
stems, such as handles for the mattock and the axe. 
j After this cutting down, the same care of keeping the 
j copse clear of weedy shrubs, and strong-growing weeds, 
I such as the burdock, the thistle, and the greater hem- 
! lock, which will be sure to thrive uncommonly in the rich 
| vegetable mound formed by the annual fall of the leaf. 
If, after the lapse of many years, the copse-wood should 
begin to show symptoms of weakness, by the stools 
throwing up weaker shoots, then it will bo advisable to 
change the site. The old stumps may be stubbed up, 
and the land devoted to agricultural purposes, for which 
it will be admirably suited. The soil will be deeper 
and richer than it was previous to the copse being 
, planted ; and though it may have tired of growing Ash 
copse-wood, it will be in fine condition for Turnips, 
Mangold Wurtzel, Oats, Wheat, Barley, and Clover, the 
usual rotation of crops for rich laud. The change will 
be beneficial to all; the ground cultivated for many 
years for these crops becomes exhausted, but is in good 
condition for the copse ; and where the copse has grown 
| for many years, the land will be greatly improved for 
green crops. T. Appleby. 
( To be continued.) 
SEA-KALE. 
Sea-kale at Christmas seems almost as necessary a 
part of the “bill of fare” as the roast beef and plum 
pudding by which that festive period is ushered in, and, 
to accomplish that object, as well as to have, probably, 
the production in question a little earlier than that 
joyous occasion, requires some forethought and atten¬ 
tion, which may be said to have its commencement now. 
Some parties, wc are aware, have their Sea-kale as 
j early as the beginning of December, and that without 
: any extraordinary effort on their part, the only requisite 
| being to begin early enough ; but then, there is a sad 
; sacrifice of quality, for the embryo buds which were set 
in such a way as would have produced robust heads of 
Sea kale, if left alono for some months, and then forced a 
little to come into use in March, are very often poor 
insignificant things in December, so much being lost by 
the efi'ort of awakening the torpid energies of tho plant 
almost before it had fairly gone to rest; Now, as plants, 
as woll as animals, require a period of repose, which 
period it is advisable, on all possible occasions, to con- 
greater tho prospect of success; and, in a like ratio, the 
shorter that period is, in like manner, the danger of a 
defective produce. 
As Sea-kale is as much wanted in midwinter as in 
spring, moans must bo taken to accomplish that object, 
which means it will bo proper here to consider; for, like 
all our fruit-trees, and some few of our stronger-growing 
vegetables, Sea-kale in a great measure prepares for tho 
crop of the ensuing season by the way in which it per¬ 
fects itself in the preceding summer, for not only does an 
early and healthy growth improve its position as an 
objoct to force, but it likewise enables tho root to enjoy 
a little repose before the period of enforced activity be 
urged upon it. This may be done best by having some 
Sea kalo plants growing on a piece of dry, gravelly soil, 
for hero tho plant will most likely ripen its buds, and 
shed its leaves much earlier than if it grew in the deep 
loamy soils which it otherwise seems to like very much, 
and as dry ground is tolerably plentiful in some neigh¬ 
bourhoods, it certainly would be advisable to have a few 
roots from some one occupying such a place; or it 
sometimes happens that stiff soil ripens its crops pretty 
woll in a fine, dry autumn, tho object being to have the 
plant properly matured and fairly set to rest as early as 
possible, and not a little depends on what treatment it 
lias received the early part of tho summer. 
In going back to this period, it will bo borne in mind 
that Sea-kale, unlike early-forced Vines, or other early- 
forced fruit-trees, have often to endure the hard-working 
ordeal of urging on two crops of the produce in ono 
year; for instance, a quantity of Sea-kale is put into 
action very early in autumn, and is, accordingly, soon 
done with, in so far as its utility is concerned, for early 
in January it is often all cut over, and tho plants, (if 
they have been formed in their position in tho ground) are 
simply protected by some litter, dung, or other covering, 
to save them alive, and the plant is, in a measure, put to 
rest in a similar way as a horse might bo after being over 
worked, to turn him out on a field covered with snow ; 
for tho transition between the hot and cold period is 
often so little, that it is all but useless, arid the bead 
and every morsel of stalk being closely cut off', we neod 
not be surprised if it refuses to start and grow again, in 
May and Juno, with sufficient vigour to mature its growth 
so early in autumn as plants which have not received 
any such treatment. Tho wonder may rather be, how 
does tho plant live? However, it is so accommodating 
and hardy as not to be easily killed, and by judicious 
treatment may be induced to perform the same office 
for many years, but, somehow, we have often seen it 
much maltreated; for, on its ceasing to yield its last 
handful of crisp, succulent shoots, in midwinter it 
is too often turned out carefully to endure tho after 
cold, with scarce sufficient covering to keep out frost. 
After this treatment, it can hardly bo expected to start 
growth again in spring in sufficient time to mature 
its buds for early winter work another year. A better 
plan, therefore, is to commence the early forcing with 
such plants as have been allowed to come on of them¬ 
selves, for, in the latter case, tho intentions of nature 
had not been much interfered with. I generally begin 
at the end of a large piece alternately every year, thereby 
giving each portion its due share of work, only for the 
earliest of all L frequently take up some roots prepared 
elsewhere, and force in a mushroom-house or other struc¬ 
ture ; still the above remarks hold good for what is done 
out-of doors, which, after all, is the most important part 
of tho crop. 
I am awaro that many cultivators have adopted the 
plan of growiug largo quantities of Sea-kale plants ex¬ 
pressly for the purpose of taking them up and forcing 
when the period comes round; and no doubt it suits 
their purpose, because they may not have tho necessary 
mcaus to communicate heat to a considerable surface of 
