Although we have such a variety of vegetables, that it may seem superfluous to press upon the public the good qualities of one at present but little in use; yet seeing that it is only from want of its being better known, that sea kale fails to be fully appreciated, I think all who try its cultivation will feel obliged to the Horticulturist for bringing this excellent vegetable into notice.

In quality it takes its stand with asparagus, but has the advantage, with but little trouble, of being available for the table some weeks earlier; and the beds of sea kale, like those of asparagus, when once made, last for years.

If plants can be purchased, a year is saved, but if they cannot, the seed may be sown either in October, or in April, as early as the ground can be worked. The seed should be sown in drills, and when up, as soon as the plants are two inches high, they should be thinned out to about four inches apart; so let them stand, if sown in the fall, until spring, covering them during the winter with straw or other litter loosely, or what is better, with a frame and glass lights. In April put out the young plants in a fresh, dry, piece of rich ground, about a foot apart, and let them stand, keeping them hoed occasionally until October, when, of course, they will be a year old, and these are the best plants with which to make up the permanent bed; but plants sown in April, transplanted when three inches high, as directed for the fall sown, and hoed till October, will do. The beginning of October, or any time between that and the setting in of hard weather, the permanent beds may be planted, and this must be done with some care.

First, trench a piece of ground the size that it is intended to make the beds, laying some good rotten manure at bottom, (though it may be coarse, rough stuff,) and if there be some ashes made from burnt weeds, or refuse wood and bones, thrown in with it, all the better. If the situation be at all wet during the winter months, trenches must be dug or the beds thrown up, so as to drain off. Take the plants from the nursery bed and sort them, so that those of a size may be planted together, which operation must be performed as follows: The bed to be planted should be marked off into squares three feet each way, and at the intersections of the lines forming the squares, three plants should be put in triangularly, at the distance of eight inches apart, so as to form a hill. Thus, when planted, the bed will consist of hills three feet distant from each other every way, and three plants in each hill. The object of sorting the plants in sizes, is to have plants of equal strength growing together in each hill, so that they may all be ready to cut at the same time. The bed being planted, nothing more requires to be done until signs appear of the setting in of frost.

About the time when the cold weather commences, the leaves of the kale will die away, and then they should be cleared off the bed, and a thick covering of some material must be put over the beds. Some rough manure should always be put on to the thickness of three or four inches, at least, and if this material is in plenty, nothing is better for the whole covering; but if otherwise, leaves, sea weed, tan bark, or black l»og earth will do. Whatever it may be, should be laid on a foot thick, or more, and thus remain through the winter.

When the plants have remained in this state for some four or five weeks, remove the covering carefully from one or two of the hills to see whether they have commenced growing; if so the shoots will be found an inch or more long, looking much like blanched celery; and as soon as these shoots get to be from four to six inches long, the catting of the bed for use may commence. The plants will continue to push into the material which covers them, and it is whilst they are so doing that they are in perfection for the table.

Of course the time from which the cutting commences in the ordinary mode of culture above detailed, will depend upon the greater or less severity of the weather after the bed is covered over; but if it is wished to bring the bed into bearing at an earlier date, that can readily be done by a very simple method of forcing, which is not attended by the trouble and constant care and watching required in forcing most other vegetables. The mode of forcing is this: When about to put on the winter covering, if it is intended to force the bed, before doing so, take some large sized flower pots, or some old barrels cut in half, or old boxes, and invert one over each hill of plants, then cover the bed as usual over the pots or boxes. Whenever it is wished to bring the bed into bearing remove the material around each hill, and in its place throw some fresh or half rotten stable manure upon the boxes, and in a few days the slight fermentation from it will heat the air within them, and the plants will shoot very rapidly.

In cutting the kale, care should be taken not to cut it too close to the crown of the plants, or the product will be injured the following year. When the plants shoot up for bloom, the cutting must be discontinued, and all the covering material, except the manure, removed from the beds. The manure should then be just turned into the top of the bed, and a little salt may with advantage be sprinkled over the beds, which should be kept clear from weeds through the summer, and the growth of the plants encouraged by hoeing round the hills occasionally, as upon their vigor depends the size of the roots, and the consequent strength of growth of the shoots the following season. The beds should also be dug over every year between the hills, but great care should be taken in so doing, not to go too near the plants so as to disturb their position and the mass of roots immediately around them. IT stable manure is used as the covering material in winter in any considerable quantity, that will keep up the condition of the beds in good bearing order, but if other materials are used for the winter covering, then some manure should be put in when the beds are dug over every year.