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Show 408 RHUBARB, RHUBARB. sand and fifty-three plants of the rheum palmatum, or true rhubarb: I once more, therefore, present myself as a claimant. Each time I have made my appearance in this character I have pledged myself to future and more considerable exertions; for else can it acquire that degree of woodiness, in which I suspect the principal secret of its cure consists. Age, too, is necessary to give the plant its proper growth; otherwise, when it undergoes the operation, its pieces will be diminutive, insignificant, and unprofitable. Above all, it is entirely indebted to age for its medical virtues; and I firmly believe that to this, more than to soil or situation, it is owing that the Turkey has been hitherto considered superior to the English rhubarb. ¢ In this place permit me to introduce an opinion that I have for some time entertained, viz. that those parts of the root are of the finest quality that are the furthest removed from the seed. This difference is easily discoverable fromits earliest stages ; and every distinction with which you have honoured me has been viewed in no other light than that of a powerful incentive to perseverance; and I need not add, how muchgratification it will afford me if the Society, by their decision on the present occasion, continue to me their good opinion. ‘¢ The period I have devoted to the cultivation of this valuable drug has now become ofa sufficient length to prove experimentally the truth or falsehood of my theories. Happy am in reflecting, and happierstill in communicating to the Society, that since I last had the pleasure of addressing them I have additional reason for satisfaction. In my former papers (see Transactions of the Society, vol. xi. xv. and xvi.) having been, perhaps, more than sufficiently minute in describing my system of cultiva. tion, I shall nowonly notice the nature of the soil and aspect, the former of whichis a rich sandy loam, and the aspect inclining to the east and south; and as the public are in complete posses- sion of the opinions upon whichit is founded, there is no occa. sion to repeat every particular point in the present instance: I shall therefore content myself with merely mentioning some, and enlarging upon others, as necessity may require. “Conceiving it to be good policyfor a man to avail himself of every advantage that is presented, I have recommended spring as well as autumnal sowings ; and the plants of each, when arrived at a proper size, to be placed in the nursery-bed, at its opposite season. I persevere in this practice, lest the summer, in proving too dry, should be equally detrimental as too wet a winter: but as draining the seed-beds may beso easily effected, and the safety of the plants necessarily ensured ; so now, without on anyaccount neglecting the former, I principally depend on the latter sowing for a succession: besides, it is attended with the least trouble and expense; and if throughout the operation is well attended to, success is nearly reduced to a certainty. : ‘Again, I have somewhere observed thata proper mode of cultivation would greatly facilitate the cure of this root; in other words, good management will ensure its welfare till its arrival to proper age; and that this has ever appeared to me of the most absolute necessity, I have never failed to represent. By nothing A409 so assured am I of the fact, that, but for want of a supply of offsets, and one or two other considerations, I should be almost tempted to abandon my present, in favour of this mode ofcultivation. But though, in this respect, the rhubarb is evidently superior, yet it should be recollected that the other is less precarious, and its growth and produce much more considerable. ‘¢ Although, according to every public testimony, of which mention will presently be made, ] have reason to believe my progress has been moreconsiderable than that of my contemporaries, if there are any, yet I have no conception that we have arrived at the ne plus ultra. Let us rather hope, that every succeeding year will be productive of a degree of improvement proportionate to the advantages of increased experience. As we are so much indebted, therefore, to the age of our plants, let me cautionall who have, or may engagein this undertaking, never to yield to impatience; for, with a few persons, the prejudices against the English rhubarb are many, and deeply rooted ; and to this source most of them may be traced. Nor is this very wonderful; for to entertain high expectations of rhubarb prematurely taken up, is no less extravagant, than to suppose the capacity of a child equal to that of an adult; yet hitherto our market has been a stranger to any other than such a commodity. ‘¢ ‘That I never expected to introduce it into general practice without opposition is evident from my last papers in 1798; for I there remarked, that very probably before this could be effected certain difficulties must be overcome, the principal of which I apprehendedto be an almost universal prepossession in favour of foreign commodities. Moderation on the part of the cultivator in the regulation of his prices, and an unwearied attention to |