Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/93

 and are cut off with the frost; if so, plant again. An ounce of seed will supply any family. After the plants are up, thin them out to nine inches apart; hoe freely, and draw a little earth to the stems as they continue to grow. They will reach the height of five feet in good soil. The pods must be gathered when about an inch and a half long and quite green. As soon as they become brown and hard, they are useless for the kitchen.

Garden Parsley is a biennial plant, a native of Sardinia, and is a very useful and pleasant vegetable; esteemed for many qualities besides that of garnishing. Its seasoning flavor, for soups and stews, is very agreeable to many. It also counteracts the smell of the breath after eating Onions. It may be preserved for seasoning, by drying it till crisp, in Summer; then rub it up fine between the hands, and put it away in a bottle for Winter use.

.—The Curled variety only should be cultivated. It is more beautiful as a garnish than the plain, and requires very little more attention to keep it pure. Seed growers are not generally particular enough with this simple article; they ought, before the plants go to seed, to pull up all those that offer to be plain, reserving only those that are beautifully curled. Sow it in drills half an inch deep, early in April. These drills may form an edging round any compartments of vegetables, or along the walks. It will remain from four to six weeks before it vegetates, and, what is rather remarkable, seed four years old will vegetate sooner than seed of the preceding year. As soon as the plants get three or four inches high, thin them to six inches apart; cut down about a third