, seldom attain the size of those that have not
been transplanted.

The seed should be sown as early in spring as the weather becomes warm
and settled, in drills three feet apart, an inch and a half in depth,
and the young plants afterwards thinned to twelve inches asunder in the
drills. The leaves are blanched before being used.

It is sometimes raised and blanched as follows: Sow the seed at the
bottom of trenches made about six inches deep, twelve inches wide, three
feet apart, and of a length according to the supply required. At the
bottom of the trench, thoroughly mix a small quantity of well-digested
compost, and sow the seeds in small groups, or collections (three or
four seeds together), at about twelve or fifteen inches apart, and cover
them an inch or an inch and a half deep. When the young plants have
acquired three or four leaves, they should be thinned out to single
plants. During the summer, keep them free from weeds; and, as they
require much moisture, it is well to water frequently, if the weather is
very dry. In September, the plants will have attained their growth for
the season, and be ready for blanching; which should be done in a dry
day, and when the plants are entirely free from dampness. It is thus
performed: The leaves of each plant are carefully and lightly tied
together with strong matting; keeping the whole upright, and the ribs of
the leaves closely together. The plant is then bound with twisted
hay-bands, or bands of straw, about an inch and a half in diameter;
beginning at the root, and continuing the winding until two-thirds or
three-fourths of the height is covered. If there is no heavy frost, the
leaves will blanch quickly and finely without further pains: but, if
frosty weather occurs, it will be necessary to earth up about the
plants, as is practised with celery; but care should be taken not to
raise the earth higher than the hay-bands.

One method of blanching is simply to tie the leaves together with
matting, and then to earth up the plants from time to time like celery;
beginning early in September, and adding gradually every week until they
are sufficiently covered. Those, however, blanched by the banding
process, are superior, both in respect to color and in the greater
length of the parts blanched.

Another practice is to earth up a little about the base of the plant,
tie the leaves together with thread or matting, and then envelop the
whole quite to the top with a quantity