puddings are made, nearly equal in flavour to those of Millet. With a moderate proportion of Wheat flour, bread of excellent quality may be formed of it, and as equally delicate food as sago or arrow-root.

There are many varieties of this root cultivated in different parts of England; but few appear to be sufficiently meritorious to deserve garden culture. The most approved variety is that known by the name of Ash-leaved Kidney. It is one of the best that can be employed for forcing, and likewise for the first crop the open air.

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The earliest tubers of the potatoe are always those which are produced from sets which have been cut with a single eye to each. This circumstance should be particularly attended to in the first crop, as I have always found these ten days or a fortnight earlier than those produced from sets which had been cut with two eyes or more. I have tried them several years, planting the single-eyed sets in alternate drills with the others, and the difference has proved uniformly the same.

When the sets are cut, in all potatoes whatever, the crown of the tuber, or that part opposite to where it was attached to the runner when growing, should be thrown away.

The sets should always be planted so far apart that the plants, when growing, should not press upon each other, but have all their leaves fully exposed to sun and air.

For excellent practical observations upon this subject see Mr. Knight's papers in the Hort. Trans. particularly that at p. 405. of vol. vii.

51. PURSLANE.

Portulaca sativa, and oleracea, are both annual plants, natives of South America and Europe. They were formerly cultivated as pot herbs, salads, for garnishings,

and pickling, though now little used for any of these purposes. The sorts cultivated are:

1. Green Purslane.

2. Golden Purslane.

It may be sown on a light warm border, broad cast, in April, and repeated in May, June, and July, which will suffice for the summer, after which time it is not used.

52. RADISHES.

Raphanus sativus, or Garden Radish, is an annual plant, a native of China, and is mentioned by Gerard in 1584.

There are two distinct sorts of the Radish; the one, spindle or tap-rooted; the other, roundish and turniprooted. The former is termed by the French, Rave; the latter they call Radis. Of these two sorts there are many varieties, of which the following are recorded in the Hort. Trans.

The best for general culture are the common taperrooted Radishes; and chiefly, the short-topped varieties of the Salmon and Scarlet for the early and main crops. No. 2. is the sort sold under the name of Salad Radish, the seed leaves being large. Of the Turnip-rooted Radishes, the Early White is a very delicate variety : if sowed in February and March, it comes in for use in April and May; or sowed in August for autumn use. The Crimson-rooted, No. 6., is a very excellent variety when perfectly true, and may be sown at the time of No. 7. it is nearly as early, and makes a very handsome variety at table.

The last six kinds of Radish will supply the table in succession through the autumn and winter. Those which are intended for winter use should be taken up in dry weather in November, divested of their leaves and fibres, and preserved in sand until they are wanted.

53. RAMPION.

The Rampion, Campanula Rapunculus, is a biennial plant, a native of Britain. It also grows wild in France, Germany, Switzerland, and the north of Italy, and it is sometimes found apparently wild in the neighbourhood of Croydon in Surry. It has a long, white, spindleshaped root; the leaves grow close to the ground, till the stem shoots up into blossom, in which state its bunches of blue flowers, about two feet high, may fairly be considered ornamental. Eng. Bot. p. 283.

The root is the part which is used: it is eaten raw like a Radish, having a very pleasant nutty flavour; it is also sometimes cut into winter salads, and then the leaves as well as the roots are used.

The seed should be sown in the latter end of May, on a shady border of rich earth, not over stiff, the mould being made as fine as possible: it is better not to rake

in the seed, as its being so very fine it may by that ation be buried too deep.

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Moderate waterings must be given through the fine rose of a watering-pot, and it is necessary the bed be kept at all times tolerably moist.

When the plants are of a sufficient size, they must be thinned out to the distance of three or four inches apart. In November the plants will be fit for use, and will continue so till April, about which time they will begin to run up into flower, when a few may be left for seed, which is produced in abundance. There is a variety of the Rampion with white flowers.

54. RAPE.

Brassica Napus, Wild Navew, or Rape, is a hardy biennial, a native of Britain. It is chiefly used as a small salad, along with Mustard and Cress. It is, however, sometimes found cultivated in the garden for spring greens, the tops being first cut off, as in the case of Broccoli; and then the young side shoots.

Many country people and cottagers take delight in this vegetable; for it supplies the family with greens, for six weeks or two months in early spring. For this purpose the seeds should be sown in July and August for transplanting late in autumn.

55. RHUBARB.

Rhubarb is cultivated for the petioles of the leaves, in a green state, or blanched, to be used in tarts and pies, as a substitute for, or along with Gooseberries, and Apples. The following are the sorts employed for this purpose:

1. Buck's Rhubarb. Rheum undulatum. A native of China, introduced in 1734.

2. Common Rhubarb. Rheum rhaponticum. A native of Asia, cultivated in 1573.

3. Elford Rhubarb.

Rheum undulatum, var. A

variety raised by Mr. Wm. Buck, of Elford. 4. Hybrid Rhubarb. Rheum hybridum. A native of Asia, cultivated in 1778.

One of the most valuable varieties of Rhubarb is the Elford, raised some years ago by Mr. Wm. Buck, gardener to the Honourable Fulke Greville Howard, at Elford, near Litchfield, Staffordshire. It is a very early sort, and may be forced, either in the forcing-house, mushroom-house, or under garden pots in the open garden, in the manner of Sea Kale. It possesses the peculiar property of retaining its brilliant scarlet colour, although forced in perfect darkness; a property not possessed, probably, by any other culinary vegetable; in addition to which, its flavour in a tart is not surpassed by that of any other variety.

By potting the plants, and placing them in the forcinghouse, or mushroom-house, in November, its leaves will be fit to gather by Christmas, and by bringing in other plants, a succession may be kept up till March.

By placing large garden pots over the roots in the garden in February, and covering them over with hot dung, a succession may be kept up from March, till a crop can be gathered in the open air from the same variety, which will be a month before any other sort makes its appearance.

R. rhaponticum, and hybridum, are grown only for cutting in the open air, as their colour and flavour are neither of them improved by forcing: the latter, having very long leaves and petioles, is by far the most desirable as an open crop. All the sorts require a good deep soil, trenched two or three feet deep, and the roots planted in rows four feet apart, and the plants three feet from each other. A strong plant of R. hybridum, however, will spread eight feet.