the plants appear
in the spring, the ground should be well hoed over, to cut up the weeds;
and where they are too close, some should be cut up, leaving them at the
first hoeing six or eight inches asunder; but at the second they may be
separated to a foot and a half distance, and more. When any weeds
appear, the ground should be scuffled over with a Dutch hoe in dry
weather; but after the plants cover the ground with their broad leaves,
they keep down the weeds without any farther trouble. The ground should
be cleaned in autumn when the leaves decay, and in the spring, before
the plants begin to put up their new leaves, be dug well between them.
In the second year, many of the strongest plants will produce flowers
and seeds, and in the third year most of them. It is advised, that the
seeds be carefully gathered when ripe, and not permitted to scatter,
lest they grow and injure the old plants. The roots continue many years
without decaying, and the old roots of the true rhubarb are much
preferable to the young ones. The roots may be generally taken up after
four years, but if they remain longer it is so much the better. These
plants delight in a rich soil, which is not too dry nor over moist: and
where there is depth in such land for their roots to run down, they
attain a great size, both in the leaves and roots.

RHUBARB PIE. Peel the stalks of the plant, cut them about an inch long,
put them into a dish with moist sugar, a little water and lemon peel.
Put on the crust, and bake it in a moderate oven.

RHUBARB PUDDING. Put four dozen clean sticks of rhubarb into a stewpan,
with the peel of a lemon, a bit of cinnamon, two cloves, and as much
moist sugar as will sweeten it. Set it over the fire, and reduce it to a
marmalade. Pass it through a hair sieve, then add the peel of a lemon,
half a nutmeg grated, a quarter of a pound of good butter, the yolks of
four eggs, and one white, and mix all well together. Line a pie dish
with good puff paste, put in the mixture, and bake it half an hour. This
will make a good spring pudding.

RHUBARB SAUCE. To make a mock gooseberry-sauce for mackarel, reduce
three dozen sticks of rhubarb to a marmalade, and sweeten it with moist
sugar. Pass it through a hair sieve, and serve it up in a boat.--Mock
gooseberry-fool is made of rhubarb marmalade, prepared as for a pudding.
Add a pint of good thick cream, serve it up in glasses, or in a deep
dish. If wanted in a shape, dissolve two o