DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 
39 
kales, and is grown for its blanched shoots, which are | 
cooked like asparagus. 
Culture. — Cultivate in every,, way like asparagus, 
except that the roots should not be set so deep and 
should be covered in the spring with eight or ten inches 
of coarse manure or litter, in order to blanch the shoots. 
They form good roots at one year from the seed, and 
may be cut when they have had two seasons’ growth. 
KOHL RABI. 
Fr. Chou-rave. — Ger. Kohl-rabierber . 
The kohl rabi is a vegetable intermediate between the 
cabbage and turnip, and combines the flavor of both. 
The edible part is a turnip shaped bulb formed by the 
swelling of the stem. When used for the table, this 
should be cut when quite small, and is then very tender 
and delicate, but if allowed to reach its full size, it be¬ 
comes tough and stringy. 
Culture. — For table use, sow early in the spring, in 
drills fourteen inches apart, and thin to six inches, and 
cultivate like turnips or early cabbage. 
Early White Vienna.— Dwarf, early. Bulb white, 
handsome, firm ; leaves few and small. The best vari¬ 
ety for table use 
Large Green.— Hardy, quite late, and used for feed¬ 
ing stock. Bulbs large, weighing eight to ten pounds ; 
whitish green in colqr ; leaves large and numerous. 
Large Purple. — Nearly identical with the last except 
in color, which is a bright purple, with the leaf stems 
tinged with purple. 
LEEK. 
Fr. Poireau. —Ger. Lauch. 
This is a branch of the onion family, is very hardy, 
and by some is preferred to the onion. 
Culture.— Dig trenches eight inches deep, and make 
the soil at the bottom as fine and rich (it can scarcely be 
made too rich) as for onions. Sow the seed early in the 
spring, and cover lightly with earth. Thin to six inches 
apart, and when the plants are twelve inches high, 
gather the leaves together, and fill the trench so as to 
blanch the lower part of the plant. Dig. and store in 
the cellar, or out of doors like celery, before severe 
weather. 
London Flag. — Is the variety more generally culti¬ 
vated in this country than any other ; is hardy, of good 
quality, and takes its name from being preferred in the 
London markets. 
LETTUCE. 
Fr. La Hue. — Ger. Lattich-salat. 
There is no vegetable which is more universally used 
than this, and yet few people know how inviting and 
appetizing it is when brought to the table fresh and un¬ 
wilted, a condition in which it is rarely, if ever, found 
in our markets, and which can only be secured by grow¬ 
ing the plants in one’s own garden. So we earnestly 
urge all of our readers who can possibly do so, to grow 
their own lettuce, if they do nothing else. 
Culture. —The quality of lettuce depends largely 
upon rapid and vigorous growth : and to secure this, we 
need very rich y mellow soil y frequent surface cultiva¬ 
tion, and an abundant supply of water. For the earli¬ 
est crop, sow under glass in March, and thin out the 
plants so as to prevent their becoming crowded. If it is 
intended to mature the plants under glass, keep the bed 
quite close, give frequent and abundant watering with 
liquid manure, and shade during very sunny days ; if 
the plants are to be set in the open ground, give all the 
air possible without freezing the plants, and “ harden 
off ” by full exposure and withdrawal of water before 
transplanting. The plants should be set out as soon as 
a warm spot can be made very rich and mellow. At 
the same time the plants are set out, sow seed in drills 
fourteen inches apart, and thin out as wanted for the 
table until they stand twelve inches apart. Give fre¬ 
quent hoeings, and if possible, water during a dry time. 
The Cos varieties should be tied up seven to ten days 
before using, in order to blanch the inner leaves. 
Early Tennis 
Ball. —(True Black 
Seeded.)— The best 
variety of head or 
cabbaging lettuce for 
growing under glass. 
Very hardy. Leaves 
dark green, thick, 
crisp and tender, 
forming under glass a small, compact head, but apt to 
be loose and open when grown in the open air, unless 
planted very early. 
Black-Seeded Simpson.—The leaves of this va¬ 
riety are very large and form a compact mass, rather 
than a distinct head. They have the quality of not 
wilting quickly, and being of a very light green color, 
the variety is much liked by market gardeners for 
forcing. 
Simpson’s Early Curled.— One of the best early 
sorts for market or family use. Heads large, loose, all 
the leaves tending to produce a head. Leaves beau¬ 
tifully crimped, dark green, very tender and crisp. 
Recommended for general cultivation. 
Ferry’s Early Prize Head.— The best lettuce 
known. It forms a mammoth heady and remains 
Simpson’s Early Curled. 
arly Tennis Ball 
