May  12.  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
409 
from  seeds  or  planting  matured  roots.  The  latter  course  is  advised, 
as  a  saving  of  time  and  labour ;  but  if  the  former  is  adopted,  seeds  may 
be  sown  in  April,  in  drills  about  a  foot  apart,  and  when  the  roots  have 
attained  a  fairly  good  size,  they  are  all  the  better  for  transplanting. 
The  drawback  to  raising  Kale  from  seed  is  that  a  year  must  be  sacrificed, 
will  be  necessary  to  thoroughly  prepare  the  ground,  as  Seakale  is, 
more  or  less,  a  permanent  crop.  If  the  subsoil  is  good  the  ground 
may  be  trenched  a  couple  of  spits  deep,  with  good  manure  worked  in 
the  bottom  and  between  the  spits.  Methods  of  planting  must  be 
ruled  by  the  intended  means  of  forcing.  Supposing  the  Kale  is  toibe 
which  is  not  necessary  when  growing  from  roots.  It  is  advisable, 
whether  transplanting  or  leaving  the  Kale  to  mature  where  it  is  sown, 
to  allow  ample  room  between  the  roots,  by  which  the  crowns  will  be 
benefited. 
Before  planting  roots,  which  operation  may  be  performed  ir 
favourable  weather  any  time  between  the  late  autumn  and  spring,  it 
blanched  on  the  ground,  then  there  must  be  room  left  for  getting 
between  and  round  the  crowns,  especially  as  the  plants  when 
established  cover  a  wide  area.  Square  beds  about  4  yards  each  way, 
with  a  pathway  round,  are  convenient,  and  will  accommodate  three 
rows  of  plants  at  even  distances.  The  advantage  of  planting  in  square 
beds  is  that  leaves  and  other  heating  material  used  for  blanching  may 
