pletely, and to produce a plump and
delicate sample. Cut close over, taking a small portion of the woody
part of the crown, and when all the growth of a crown is taken, remove
the pot or box, but leave a thin coat of leaves on the cut crown to
protect it, as at the time of cutting Sea Kale keen east winds are
prevalent, and it is unfair to the plants to expose them suddenly. When
the crop has been taken, remove the leaves and the planks, and dig in
between the rows a thick coat of fat manure. The growth will be too
strong now for a stolen crop, and will so continue for many years. After
the crop has been secured, each crown will throw out a number of buds or
shoots. These should all be removed except two or three of the
strongest, which will form the crowns for cutting in the following year.
At the same time take away any small blanched shoots that may have been
left because they were too small or insignificant for table use. This
proceeding will prevent the production of flower-stems, which is
injurious to the plant, and there never need be any fear that the crop
will be diminished, because plenty of buds around the crowns, that do
not show themselves in the first instance, will come forward in due
time.

==Forcing.==--It is so easy to force Sea Kale that the cultivator may
safely be left to his own devices. But it will be well, perhaps, to say
that perfect darkness is requisite, and the temperature should not
exceed 60 deg. at any time, this being the maximum figure. A rise above 60 deg.
will produce a thin or wiry sample. It is sufficient to begin with a
temperature of 45 deg., and to rise no higher than 55 deg., to insure a really
creditable growth. The market growers are not very particular as to
temperature, but then they do not eat the crop, or know much of it after
it has left their hands. With the gardener in a domestic establishment
the case is different; and we venture to advise young men--to whom book
advice is often valuable as entailing no obligations--that Sea Kale
slowly forced may be nearly as good as that grown under pots in the open
without any heat at all; better it cannot be. Any spare pits or odd
places may be made use of for this crop, provided only that the heat is
not too great. Pack the roots in mould or leaves, or even half-rotten
manure, and shut them up to exclude light, and the crop will be ready in
five or six weeks, unless forcing is commenced very early, in which case
seven weeks at leas