June 23. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
217 
under the influence of the recent rains and sunshine. 
Cabbages make from Is. to 2s. per dozen. Rhubarb, 
2d. to 6d. per bundle. Cucumbers, 4d., 6d., to Is. each. 
Of Flowebs there is an abundance. Among the most 
prominent in the composition of bouquets, we have 
lately observed Catananche ccerulea extensively used for 
a blue. H. 
SEA-KALE. 
1 have long desired to give our readers a sketch ol 
my mode of growing and forcing this valuable esculent, 
and as there is no pressing need for the remainder of the 
series of papers which 1 have commenced, on laying 
out fruit-gardens and orchards, it will be well, perhaps, 
to turn aside occasionally into subjects which may 
interest our friends, who have not had the benefit of 
long experience. I feel somewhat bold in the matter ot 
Sea-kale, having been particularly successful for many 
years; indeed, I think it may be found, that the im¬ 
proved practice in forcing this vegetable, is, in great 
part, traceable to papers written by me nearly a score 
years since, in “ Loudon’s Magazine,” and since that 
period, in the “Horticultural Society’s Journal,” and 
other works. 
Twenty years since, and more, I felt extremely dis¬ 
satisfied with the existing mode of forcing; it appeared 
too expensive, too uncertain, and involved too much 
labour. Long before that period, Mr. Knight, and 
others, had ascertained that certain classes of plants, of 
which the Sea-kale was an eminent example, stored up 
in one season the alimentary matter that went towards 
establishing the plant in the future year, and the 
accretion consequent on the root action of the latter, ol 
course, provided for another period, and so on. Now, 
this admitted, two features in its culture stood in bold 
relief; one, that all matters connected with the cultural 
process must be done out-of-doors; the other, that the 
forcing was reduced simply to a question ot warmth and 
moisture, irrespective of any other consideration. Thus, 
the fetters being thrown off which custom had bound, 
it occurred to me, that, since Sea-kale blanching-pots 
were very expensive, and that the enormous body of 
fermenting material requisite to support this system 
could be much better employed, and much labour in 
turning and heating saved—a much simpler plan might 
be devised. 
Now, here I at once repudiate all notions of battling 
with Mr. A. or Mr. B., as to priority in this respect. I 
shall confine myself to a detail ol usclul facts; the 
world may settle the rest as it pleases. 
Sea. kale is partial to a light or sandy soil, and the 
soil must be deep to produce it first-rate. 1 always 
secure a depth of thirty inches. A Celery-bed, in what 
is termed the Scotch fashion, is a most excellent pre¬ 
parer. These beds with us are about six feet in width, 
and carry two rows of highly cultivated Kale. I need 
scarcely observe, that such ground is highly manured, 
and very deep, and receives a good coating of salt after 
the Celery is removed, which is generally immediately 
after Christmas, as we employ an early bed for this 
purpose. The salt, of course, is well incorporated with 
the soil. 
On such a prepared soil I annually plant as much 
as 1 force—say about two hundred crowns or roots. 
The rows are nearly four feet apart, and the plants 
nearly three feet apart in the row, or rather three feet 
between each pair of plants, for I plant a pair of crowns 
at each station; each pair, therefore, has about half-a- 
yard on each side, clear space, to extend on. 
Now, it is proper here to observe, that these are 
young plants of a year-old, for I sow a drill annually for 
this purpose, on rich soil, and cultivate highly through 
the summer; they are about a foot in length, and nearly 
an inch in diameter at the crown at planting time. Our 
planting takes place in the middle of February. 
In the early part of May most of them produce blos¬ 
som spikes; these, however, are not suffered to grow 
long, for as soon as the plant has two or three good 
leaves at the base the blossoms are pinched off. In 
former years, I used to cut the crown off’ below the I 
sprouting point, but this proved bad practice, although I 
backed by many professionals—as, although Kale will J 
bud at any point, such practice lays the foundation lor 
canker, or vegetable gangrene, to which this plant is 
much liable. This pinching, or cutting away, the blossom 
spikes induces a development of a class of young shoots 
at the collar, which are the very things for future buds, 
or crowns; and, moreover, no stagnation of the vital 
action ensues—the root is sustained in continuous play. 
In a few weeks, the crowns are found thronged with 
sprouts of a peculiarly vigorous character, and now a 
sharp-pointed knife is passed through them, thinning 
out all but about four on each crown, and, of course, 
selecting the prime ones. 
I need say little more about the out-doors culture 
of this delicious and universally esteemed vegetable, 
which finds its way to the table of Princes from Novem¬ 
ber until the middle of May: of course, a due amount 
of cultivation will be given. 1 must now bound over a 
portion of my subject, and chat a little about its forcing. 
1 may observe beforehand, however, that I have deemed 
it expedient to use a good deal of the charred materials 
of the rubbish or weed yard on every possible occasion, 
whether in the soil, or as hand-dressings, when dressings 
are needed. Such substances are well-known antiseptics, 
and, as the Kale is so liable to gangrene, their appli¬ 
cation would seem a common sense affair. However, 1 
can only say, that in proportion as I have applied such 
with diligence, my success has increased; indeed, I can¬ 
not speak too highly of their application in almost all 
vegetable culture—involving, as a system of charring 
does, the destruction of all insects, and the return ot a 
very useful residuum to the ground from whence it had 
been taken. 
During the summer, of course, all flower stems are 
cut away, and by the end ot October, or so, the leaves 
will be relinquishing their hold of the plant. And now, 
my practice is to trench out the whole forcing stock, 
and “ lay it in by the heels,” to use a mere gardening 
phrase, which means, that it is put into the ground as 
close together as possible. It is covered with soil up to 
the crown, and, during severe weather, litter is kept con¬ 
stantly over the plants. From hence they are trans¬ 
ferred, in successive batches, to the Mushroom-house, 
where l have Kale in constant succession, from the 
beginning of November, until that from the open ground 
supersedes forcing matters. The forcing it in this situ¬ 
ation must form the subject ot another paper; for much 
may be said, and much ought to be said. I do not, 
indeed, desire to make a more wordy affair of it; but I 
am unwilling that those who do wish to learn a good 
practice should be imperfectly informed : for those who 
do not desire to learn, we do not write; neither for men 
of experience. 
Before closing this paper, let me point to the collateral 
bearings of this kind of practice. “Rotation of crops” 
always carries a high sound ; a good knowledge of this 
involves much practical, if not scientific, knowledge; 
much forecast, and, I may add, it must lead to economy in 
the end. Here, then, is my plot of “trenclied-out ” Sea-kale 
ground, penetrated some thirty inches in depth, and 
ridged up in November. Who will despise such a plot 
in March for Carrots, Onions, &c. ? Certainly, a bed, 
fifty yards long by seven feet in width, does not seem a 
great commercial spec. But it is not for the amount of 
