eV wt oe J . ’ ‘ é ad _ ee se ee ee Oe Oe Se Ee re ee De Ee ae 77 ov rneerorr>Y*” ee NN AS Se et bev ale taly ay voage Hy hiy beh Re) Vorb dere ' A sea si ty) AEE se rhiy foieat ea : TAs Ay ayarhdy ageeed eee RECEE RLS 1 Pea pe ele etd pf thee H Wi ryed natd theese AY srtid HM) tein | OP vs i 31] Phone a ashing ime Polen oH au ere ya wae ‘3 ag nisi aii pati rays Pe eicles te Rae Binet Aeadhene oe ff A9 14 thgie M43 Payer Aeaethen rtd Coptiatt Oe POST gate B ih Rea es reghiclernde CARLES HM bead aus Baas: APeand Sy es che “ fut Nae ae a Mt te} tees a Rprvarye © i 9 hedntig "i eatin f Be Mh orth aes Mi i : aii ‘ Hi aah t iD a ee rteg HAE PAP mt ie wits rae RE Ne att arn fa gs gene x ma a its ita re abe f aan yi sin i Hy ae. io He alte 5 tte Rai ial oa bie iM d + ie cad Gee a Say HY fete Bil a fii Mt bs eapine hae hs Rid ert! reat ie "prats a Tabs +3 etert i I teste wo HA ni rhs ake sei sues foaas EMas a de ates He iueny Sars HEED na At fi Hetete aK $e metas y) at ribs Jans iv ths ath hist Ey ahi a ; ita ae pacuoud POEL Eee Ee Fe is AN a) es Ah Ah rt Hah } eh rf Pee fe < ae eae i i) ae me ite ; last Hits : ‘a Any eer | i) rv + #3 Tvieatin he Wh sy i GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH; | OR THE KITCHEN AND FRUIT GARDEN:: Hest Alethods for their Culhbavon, HINTS UPON LANDSCAPE AND LOWER GARDENING, MODES OF CULTURE, AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF THE CULINARY VEGETABLES; FRUIT TREES AND FRUITS; AND A SELECT LIST OF ORNAMENTAL TREES AND PLANTS, FOUND BY TRIAL ADAPTED TO THE STATES OF THE UNION SOUTH OF PENNSYLVANIA; WITH GARDEN- ING CALENDARS FOR THE SAME, > BY WILLIAM? NOW HYVES. OF ATHENS, GA. ‘In the home around which we see a well-kep: garden, internal order almost always prevails ; and when there is a flower-stand outside, there is almost always a book-shelf within.’’—Scsouw’s EARTH, PLANTS, AND MAN. / , P< 4 / a -- PA Ef J f 7 NEW YORK: | C.M. SAXTON AND COMPANY, AGRICULTURAL BOOK PUBLISHERS, No. 149 Futon STREET. ATHENS, GA.: WM. N. WHITE. 1866. . = a Seer ~ ce c < ci , n - ct Co . Ce ¢ rt € € ‘ © « e ec @ . € > 7 * Gs + c c ¢ . os « c ey a aE © ' ¢¢ « f : c c . ® Ce ¥ cc cece € se ¢ > Custer coe. ¢te c € cc € € ee . é Cece om c © c ie v= < ck -o¢e e¢ ’ © cce Co € re a at Ce wate. « — ¥ c Se ae © ete € e r +. Men € ¢ So ey « « » . . +, ‘sa e¢<* ‘ WILLIAM N. WSHITE. In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Northern District of Georgia. ay traasfer ‘Tom Pat. Off'ce Lily | = a ae A urt) 1914, j : ‘ ? . ‘ ; ¥ ws ‘ 4 ’ 4 B 5 3 - " a \ \s 7 ‘ a y - o2 EDWARD 0, JENKINS, J te : _ PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER, f 26 Frankfort Stiee:, N.Y. : ) ; ®_« . * a i es ve an a ve “es . ty et ’ 4 * ¥ a a . ~ Ms Ms, “ . a, : aa ‘ % > . i” 5 , . . ‘ ) ‘ ‘ ‘ . — . * 7 YR At ee I wave thought that, upon a subject so accordant with my tastes as is Horticulture, I might prepare a work adapted to our climate and useful to the public. The repeated inquiries made of me, as a Bookseller, for a practical treatise on the subject, and these in- quiries growing more frequent with the manifest growth of the gardening spirit among us, led to the undertaking. Yet, written, as it has been, in the intervals of trade and subjected to its constant interruptions—now advancing but a line at once, again a page or an article—suspended totally for nearly two years, then hastily finished, looked over, and printed under circumstances that ren- dered the author’s revision of the proof impossible—many defects of style, and errers of the press, are manifest. These, if the work contain the information sought, practical men will readily excuse in a first edition. To claim much originality in a modern work on Gardening, would display in its author great ignorance or great presumption. If it did not contain much that is ‘found in other horticultural works, it would be very defective. Gardening is as old as Adam, and what we know to-day of its principles and. operations has bees accumulated, little by little—the result of thousands of experi- ments and centuries of observation and practice. Hence, from the gardening literature of our language, has been selected, for this work, those modes of culture which considerable experience and lV PREFACE. observation has proved adapted to our climate. The species and varieties of plants found here most desirable for use or ornament, have been selected and described. This mass of material has been modified and increased by pretty copious garden-notes of my own. Still, it has been my object to make a useful and reliable, rather than an original work. Where an author's language suited my purpose, it was at once incorporated into the text. If the expression is sometimes changed, it is generally to make it mere concise. To save repeated acknow- ledgments and quotation-marks in the text, a list is appended of the authors which occur to me from whom assistance has been derived. The names of those to whom I am most indebted have a star pre- fixed. Tt was first intended merely to modify an English work—G. W. Johnson’s “Kitchen Gardening’—and adapt. it to our own cli- mate. Hence, his arrangement of articles in the alphabetical order of their genera is adhered to. Plants similar in nature are thus grouped together, and some repetition is avoided. But that work not proving so available as expected, and botanical names being still in a state of change,* not many articles were prepared before I regretted not having followed the common method, which is cer- tainly more convenient for reference to all except botanists. But as the index renders it easy to find any plant by its common name, the arrangement of the articles was of too little importance to be changed at that period. The necessity of a Southern work on Gardening is felt by every Horticulturist in our midst. Our seasous differ from those of the Northern States, in heat and dryness, as much as the latter do from those of England. ‘Treatises perfectly adapted to their cli- mate we are obliged to follow very cautiously. English works require the exercise of a still greater degree of judgment in the reader, the climate of England being still more cool and humid. Again, our mild winters admit of garden-work nearly every day of the year. Alf the heavy operations of trenching, manuring, laying out, pruning, and planting trees, shrubs, and hardy ornamental plants, are at that season most conveniently performed. * Chervil, for instance, is now Cherophylum sativum, PREFACE. Vv In this particular aspect, our climate is much like that of the south of England. Hence, while the calendars of operations, in works prepared for the Northern States, seldom agree with our practice, those in English works are often found to coincide with it. But even where the time of performing certain operations is the same in both countries, the long, dry summers, and still milder win- ters, of this climate, often render necessary a peculiar mode of per- forming the same. We need, then, works upon Gardening specially adapted to our latitude and wants. But; with the exception of the valuable mat- ter scattered through our Agricultural and Horticultural periodi- cals, Holmes’ “ Southern Farmer and Market Gardener,” written some years since, and briefly treating of the kitchen garden depart- “ment merely, is the only work containing anything reliable on the subject. . The chief original features, then, of this work, are, that it endea- vors to give more or less information upon the whole subject of Gardening ; and information, too, that is practically adapted to our climate, habits and requirements. In the fruit-garden depart- ment, especially, a good deal of new matter is to be found. Through- out the entire work, processes are frequently described, and methods of culture given, which are suited only to climates and seasons like our own. ‘Those varieties of plants and trees are pointed out which experience has proved are least adapted to our orchards and gar- dens. Analyses of the most important vegetables and fruit-trees are supplied, both to gratify a rational curiosity and to assist those who wish to experiment in special manures—which should be very cautiously ventured upon in the present state of our knowledge. Unusual prominence is also given to the gencral subject of manures, as they are the foundation, not only of successful gardening, but of | profitable husbandry. The hints on Landscape-gardening have been gathered, with great care, from the works’ of Downing, Lou- den, Smith and others, and modified to suit our climate. In the Flower-garden department, few varieties of plants are noticed that have not grown under my own eye, and none that Ido not know are really fine. Besides the various works consulted, the experi- ence of horticultural friends has been freely communicated. Valu- able hints have been derived from Rev. Mr. Johnson and Mr. vl .PREFACE. Thourmond, of Atlanta, Prof. J. P. Waddel, Dr. M. A. Ward and Dr. James Camak, of Athens, Rt. Rev. Bishop Elliott, of Savan- nah, Dr. J. O. Jenkyns and Mr. Affleck, of Mississippi; and espe- cially from J. Van Buren, Esq.,* of Clarksville, Geo., whose suc- cessful efforts to make known and diffuse native southern varieties of the apple rendered him a public benefactor. It is hoped we shall yet see a work upon fruit-trees from his pen. If this treatise, with all its imperfections, shall in any degree in- crease the love of Gardening among us; if it shall cause orchards to flourish, shade-trees to embower, and flowers to spring up around any Southern home, the author’s purpose is accomplished. * By an oversight, my own descriptions of the Batchelor, Maverick’s Sweet, Nickajack, Berry, Disharoon, Catooga, Comack’s Sweet and Neverfail Apples, for which Mr. Van Buren furnished the specimens of fruit, are placed among the vari- eties described by him. CONTENTS. i PAGEH Tntroduction : ; = 5 = - . A : 9 FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF GARDENS IN GENERAL. PAGE PAGE Aspect. < : - 12 Manures: Night Soil - . 42 Budding - . - eels Bone . z ; 44 Bones - : 44 ae Special . < 46 Cultivation with the Hos : . 89 Mulching. 3 - 85 Cuttings . ‘ ‘ : 63 Number of Plants to an ui s 92 Cold Frames . - P Parsnip Pea, English Potato Rocombole Roquet Rape Rape, Edible- ee or French Turnip Rampion . . Radish, Horse : Radish A - Rhubarb : $ Shallot, or Eschallot Sprouts, Brussels Scurvy-Grass = . Sea Kale ‘ 3 é Squash. - ° Sorrel - ; Savory . . Seorzonera . 5 ° Skirret . : Spinach Spinach, New Podiaail Salsify, or Vegetable Oyster Turnip... . i Tanyah : . . Tomato . . . Thyme : . . Vegetable Marrow . Watermelon . ° . Watercress - e MEDICINAL HERBS. PAGE PAGE Angelica . ° = 5 288 Liquorice . - : 291 Anise - : : . 296 Lavender 5 - F - 293 Borage . - - é 289 Peppermint - - - 293 Balm A : - . 295 Pennyroyal . ° - . 204 Bene A - - - 298 Rosemary 5 . 2 296 Chamomile . : - . 288 Rue ~ ~ 3 -. 287 Carraway . - - “ 290 Southernwood . - - 289 Coriander . ' : . 291 Spearmint C - A ~ 294 Clary : - : 298 Sage - - - : 297 NY ve : * ‘ . 286 Thistle, Blessed . Z . 290 Elecampane : > ~ 292 Thoroughwort, or Boneset ‘ 291 Fennel - z - - 287 Tansy - : : . 299 Hyssop . - ° ‘ 292 Wormwood - : - 289 Horehound . pf : - 295 THE FRUIT GARDEN. Almond . - : - 3038 Nectarine “ : - 817 Apricot - : : - 3819 Orange, The . : - = 82% Apple, The - 3 = 871 Olive - - - 345 Blackberry . A ‘ . 388 Peach - : : . 804 Chestnut, and other Nuts - 821 Plum : 2 : - 847 Cherry - : ° . 822 Pomegranate . B38 Currant . - : : 884 Pear - ~ 354 mies: : : : . 832 Plum, Jujube : é . 401 Gooseberry : . . 885 Quince. : : 830 Grape-Vine, The . : . 889 Raspberry . 5 . 886 Grapes, Native . - : 400 Strawberry - ; 836 Mulberry. ‘ ° . 344 SS twiaddes ‘ sles perngay Se dipteep ie ae He ; od 3 ey SRP nee Gt) Sy y yy Rid f + ire on lee EN) ae . . ry acy ae Oe ns 1 Movin ay Spinach teen ee a Dire iE Ga ere amc, +9 oT cae aire F oe pa: atm. @ ‘ ae ini . ie A 3 elie nee Ls os jet it out; , oe 4 ae Se ‘ at i LIST OF BOOKS AND AUTHORS FROM WHOM MATERIAL HAS BEEN DERIVED FOR THIS WORK. AFFLECK, THOS., Aten, A; B ; *Barry, P., 6 eo e . “3 BovussInGaAwt.t, J. B., . Burerss, H., . . Breck, J. . : BRIDGEMAN, T., *Browne, D. Jay . “ “ “ Bon JARDINIER. *Boist, R., . GoBbet, W., . *CoLE, S. W., CounTRY GENTLEMAN, . CULTIVATOR, . ce SouTHERN, Dana, 8. L., *Downine, A. J., . DownincG, CHARLES, *EvioTtT, F. R., FLogist, . F - : GARDENER’S CHRONICLE, . »] GENESSEE FARMER, Grirrity, R. E., Homes, F. &., Hargis, T. W., . Hoare, CLEMENT, *HORTICULTURIST, Hovey, C. M., Jounston, J. F. W., . Jounson, C. W., ce iR tas Go We, Kemp, E., 5 2 é Kenrick, W., Kern, G. M., Lzr, Prof. D., Southern Rural Almanac American Agriculturist. Fruit Garden. Horticulturist. Rural Economy. Amateur Gardener’s Calendar. Book of Flowers. Young Gardener’s Assistant. Field Book of Manures. Patent Office Report, 1854 Family Kitchen Gardener. Rose Manual. American Flower Gardener's Director. American Gardener. American Fruit Book. L. Tucker & Son, Albany, N. Y. it “ “ “ Augusta, Geo., D. Lee and D. Redmond, Editors. Muck Manual. Fruits and Fruit Trees of America. Cottage Residences. Landscape Gardening. Horticulturist. Articles in Horticulturist and Correspondence. American Fruit Grower's Guide. _ H. C. Hanson, Philadelphia. Prof. J. Lindsey, London, Eng. J. Vick, Rochester, N. Y. Medical Botany. Farmer and Market Gardener. On Insects injurious to Vegetation. On the Grape-Vine. J. J. Smith, Philadelphia. Magazine of Horticulture, Boston, Mass. Agricultural Chemistry. Treatise on Manures. Kitchen Garden. How to lay out a small Garden. New American Orchardist. Practical Landscape Gardener. Genesee Farmer, Southern Cultivator, and Patent Office Reports. vill LIST OF BOOKS AND AUTHORS. Linpury, G.,. . - « Quide to the Orchard. s JOHN, . A , Gardener's Chronicle. ss e - « . Theory of Horticulture. = oy boxotecr % . Vegetable Kingdom. Litsic, J... : ; . Agricultural Chemistry. KOPP. -. A ~ Progress of Chemistry. *Loupmn, J.C., . : . Encyclopadia of Gardening. Fs B Prts Yi ye ee 2: “ Plants. és oi . . . Suburban Gardener snd Villa Companion. % Misa. his = ls) | eagezine: * “ Mrs. J., . . . Ladies’ Companion to the Flower Garden. *Maprs, J. J... 5 ‘ Working Farmer, Now York City. Mrenan, THos., . - . Hand-Book of Ornamental Trees. "tromaux, FAs). North American Sylva. Nasu, J. A., . 4 . Progressive Farmer. Nami... . * : 3 Fruit, Flower, and Kitchen Garden. Norton, J.P. . : . Scientific Agriculture. Murtarr, T:, . 2 = North American Sylva continued. Parprz, R.G., . . On the Strawberry. PAUL, W., « - . ‘ Hand-Book of Villa Gardening. ie ine - +» +. Rose Garden and Supplement. Parsons, 8. B., . : 4 On the Rose. *Praropy, ©. A., . : - On the Soil of the South. Rivers, THoMAs, a : Rose Amateur’s Guide. st ‘ < r . Miniature Fruit Garden. *SonENCK, P. A., : - Kitchon Gardener's Directory. StockuarptT’s, J. A., . - Chemical Field Lectures. Smiru, C. H. J., oa. te Landscape Gardening. Sor. or THs Sours, . . Columbus, Ga., J. M. Chambers and C. A. Peabody. *SOUTHERN AGRICULTURIST, Laurensville, 8. Carolina, A. G. & Wm. Summer. Tuomas, J. J., ; - American Fruit Culturist. THomMpP5ON, W., . “webs ‘ Gardener’s Book of Annuals. Warne, G. BE, . : - Elements of Agriculture. Warpeg, Dr. J. A.,. ; Western Horticultural Review. ADVERTISEMENT. Ir has been found impossible to complete the entire treatise in time for the work of the present season. Hence, it is thought best not to delay the publication of what's already prepared, as some persons may desire to purchase the Kitchen and Fruit Garden only. Little new work can be laid out in the Flower Garden until autumn, by which time will be issued, separately, the remainder of the work, con- taining the hints on Landscape and Flower Gardening, with the Calendars, and perhaps brief notes on a few of the most promising Fruits that come into bearing with us this summer, thus considerably increasing the usefulness of the entire work, and enabling those who wish to procure either part by itself. Marcr, 1856. EN'FRO Dt C2 Lor . GARDENING was man’s first occupation. It has num- bered among its votaries the wisest and best of our race, and has been deemed in all ages a delightful employment. But to yield pleasure or profit it must be prosecuted un- derstandingly. He who desires in full the enjoyments and advantages of a garden, must be qualified to take charge of it himself; must thoroughly understand the principles and manipulations of horticulture ; must know the qualities and requirements of his soil, and what may be most satisfactorily produced from it in his peculiar climate ; in short, he should in all cases be capable of su- perintending and directing advisedly its operations, really knowing when they are well or ill done. It is difficult to acquire this knowledge by reading or simply looking on. It is easiest and most pleasantly gained with implement in hand and a note-book in the pocket. The readier way of understanding the directions of the kooks, is to put them in practice. He who thus heartily enters into the performance of horticultural operations, will be fully rewarded by our good old mother earth in health, profit, and pleasure In health, for not only does the garden yield a choice and wholesome variety of fruits and vegetables. most salutary for daily food, but the ex- 1% 10 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. ercise afforded in moving the fresh soil, and the interest excited by the diversified operations of the garden, are still more salutary. In profit—but of that hereafter. In pleasure—for what is more delightful than to watch the daily developments of that which our own hands have planted, cultivated, and sheltered—or to witness, as the skillful gardener will do, the constantly improving condi tion of his soil, or to partake of the daily succession of choice vegetables and luscious fruits brought to perfection by his skill and care, or to enjoy the more spiritual and refined pleasures of landscape and flower-gardening where the eye is charmed with the greennessand breadth of lawns grouped with all rare and magnificent trees, or with par- terres gay with brilliant colors and profuse with beautiful and perfect forms. But those who possess a taste for gar- dening need no display of inducements to attract them to their favorite haunts. They will not seek in these pages for arguments in favor of gardening, but for suggestions and instructions as to the best methods of performing its operations. Gardening for the South. FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF GARDENS IN GENERAL. SiruaTion.—With us, gardening in all its departments is generally deemed the peculiar province of the ladies, and we cannot regret that it has fallen into their hands. Had Mr. Downing lived at the South, he would never have asked ‘“‘ What is the reason American ladies do not love to work in their gardens?’’ Hence the usual direc- tion that the gardens should be formed near the house, becomes with us doubly important. 'The situation of the flower-garden and lawn should be immediately adjacent to the dwelling, in order to yield the highest degree of pleasure. The most satisfactory arrangement is to form the lawn directly in front, and the flower-garden on the side, sufficiently near to be overlooked by the drawing- room windows, while the sides of the dwelling, in part, and its entire rear, including the kitchen and servants’ yard, are sheltered and concealed by trees. A dwelling thus embayed in well-grown trees is always regarded with pleasure. As neither the fruit or kitchen garden, espe- cially the latter, can be considered ornamental, they should not, though near the dwelling, be placed obtrusively in view. Near they should be, as if either is distant, time is 12 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. lost m watching its progress;it is in danger of being ne- glected; and even if this is not the case, its choicest pro- ducts may gratify the palate of any one besides its owner. A good arrangement is to place them in immediate con- nection with the pleasure-ground, proceeding froin the shrubbery to the fruit department, and thence to the kitchen-garden. he latter should be near the stables, in order that it may be copiously replenished with manure without too great expenditure of labor. Much, however, depends upon the soil. The best at command, in the vicinity of the dwelling, should be chosen. Proximity to water is also highly important, especially if it can be readily employed fox irrigation. Low situations are more endangered by late and early frosts, but their abundant moisture renders them desirable for summer crops. A diversity of soils and exposures in the same in- closure is desirable. Care should be taken that the productiveness of the garden be not diminished by the proximity of large trees, which are injurious by their drip to all plants beneath them, and by their shade and extended roots to those more remote. The small fibrous roots of trees extend far beyond their branches, and one is not safe from these devourers much short of the length of the stem which they nourish. If trees exist too valuable to be removed, dig a deep trench near them, and cut off all roots that extend into it. This will probably relieve the adjacent crops from their inju- rious effects. AsprcT AND INCLINATION.—A slight exposure to the south and east is generally recommended. All good gardeners take pride in having early crops, and this com- pensates in some measure for their short duration in such an exposure. A north-eastern aspect is to be avoided, as ASPECT. 13 our worst storms are from that direction. A north-west- ern exposure, though cold and late, is less liable to injury from late and early frosts, as vegetation in such situations is sheltered somewhat from the rising sun, and does not suffer so much if it becomes slightly frozen. It is not the frost that injures plants so much as the direct heat of the sun falling upon the frozen leaves and blossoms. Cabbage, cauliflower, strawberries, spinach, lettuce, and other salads, are much more easily brought to perfection in a northern aspect. Many of these run up to seed im- mediately if exposed to the full sun. The soil, too, is usually richer, and will retain its fertility longer, other things being equal, in a northern exposure. It is a great advantage, if the garden slope at all, to have it slope in more than one direction, giving a choice of exposure, and generally also of soil, as it is thus adapted to both late and early crops. But when the drainage is good, a level is to be preferred, as by the aid of the fences any desired exposure can be obtained for particular plants. Indeed in this climate nothing is more to be regarded than the in- elination of the soil. Whatever be the situation or aspect, a garden must be as level as possible. Any considerable inclination in this latitude subjects the richest portion of the soil to the danger of being washed away by our violent storms. In the rich mellow soil cf a garden culti- vated as it should be, if there be any perceptible slope, a single storm will cause a loss of manure and labor that will require considerable expense to repair. If the ground is not level at first, it will be economy to throw it at once into terraces of convenient breadth. The steeps of these can be clothed with blue grass or strawberry plants, to prevent them from washing. ie Sizk.—A garden should be proportioned to the size of 14 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. the family, and their partiality for its different products. A small garden with a suitable rotation of crops, and well manured and cultivated, will yield more pleasure and profit than an ordinary one of three times its size. An active industrious hand can take care of an acre, well pro- vided with hot-beds, cold frames, &c., keeping it in perfect neatness and condition; or if the plough and cultivator be brought into requisition, as they should be in large gar- dens, four times that amount can be under his care. If but little room can be allowed near the house, cab- bages, carrots, turnips, potatoes, and the common crops can be grown in the field, if well enriched and cul- tivated solely with the plough. The fruit garden should be in a separate compartment, as the shade of the trees is very injurious, and the exhaustion of the soil by their roots still more so. Dwarf pears upon the quince stock are the least injurious, and may be admitted into the vegetable department. Form.—The form will often depend upon the situation of the garden or inclination of the ground. When a matter of choice, a square or parallelogram is most con- venient for laying out the walks and beds. A parallelo zram extending from east to west gives a long south wall for shading plants in summer, and a long sheltered border for forwarding early crops. In plantation gardening an oblong shape has the further advantage of giving longer rows for the plough. Layine our.—In laying out,a broad walk wide enough to admit a cart for manuring the plants, should run through the centre from end to end, until you nearly reach the border. Here may be a turning-place around an arbor or tool-house. A border, eight to twelve feet wide, should or FENCING. 1 extend all around, next the boundary, and next this should be a walk, also entirely around, three or four feet wide. If cultivated with the plough, this division into the borders, and two large plats, will be sufficient, but the borders should then be, at least twelve feet wide, to give room enough for those vegetables that will not admit cultiva- tion with this implement. The other vegetables may be successfully cultivated in these two plats, in long rows. Where the spade and hoe are used, these oblong plats may be subdivided for con- venience into smaller plats, by walks three feet wide, ex- tending from the borders to the main walk, and a portion of these should be laid out each year by very narrow alleys into beds, four feet wide, for onions, beets, carrots, &e. The earth should be dug out of the main walks, four inches deep, and spread evenly on each side over the adjacent ground. ‘The walks may be filled with gravel, so as to be dry and comfortable, or fresh tan, if accessible, will answer very well, and will keep out the weeds for two years, when it should be used as a dressing for the strawberry beds, and its place filled with a fresh supply. No more walks or alleys should be made than are required for convenience in gardening operations, and where it is not desirable to admit a cart, the main walk need not be over five or six feet wide. Fencine.—The objects of fencing are to procure shel- ter for delicate plants from cold winds, also shade for those that require it, and, above all, to keep out of the garden intruders of all kinds, that the owner may enjoy its fruits without molestation. A high close board fence, or a stone or brick wall, answers a tolerable purpose ; but the only thing to be-relied on is a living hedge. The Osage Orange, Pyracanth, Cherokee, and single White 16 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Macartney roses are all good for this purpose. Osage Orange plants may be raised from seed, or bought at the nurseries for five or six dollars per thousand. ‘The Pyra- canth, or evergreen thorn, we have Mr. Affleck’s authority for stating, will make a hedge as effectual as the Osage Orange, and, as it is an evergreen, is much the most desir- able. The blossoms in Spring are very showy, and it is covered in Winter with bright scarlet berries, and hence it is often called the burning bush. It grows freely from cuttings in sandy soil, but these cuttings should remain in the nursery-bed a year to become well rooted before use. Mr. Nelson gives the following directions for plant- ing and trimming a hedge, which apply equally well to Osage Orange and Pyracanth ; « PLANTING.—Virst dig a trench where the hedge is intended to be grown, two spades deep, throwing the sur- - face to one, and the subsoil to another side; then throw the surface soil down on the bottom of the trench, and if it is very poor, add a little manure, or good surface earth, or even dry oak leaves. Autumn is by far the best time for transplanting, and can safely be done as soon as the leaves are dropped. Cut down the plants to within four inches above the roots before planting. Several authors recommend planting in double rows, but according to my experience in the management of hedges, (and I have had a good deal in my life), I decidedly prefer single rows. Assort the plants in two parcels, those of large and those of small size, and lay the smaller ones aside for the richest ground. Stretch the line firmly, and place the plants in as straight a line as possible, one foot apart ; fill up the trench with earth, leaving about two inches above cround; press the earth not too firmly, but water plenti- fully, and after that, level the whole nicely.” HEDGES. 17 « TrimMING.—It is perfectly useless to plant a hedge and leave it to be killed by weeds, or grow without trim- ming. A young hedge will require the same amount of labor as a row of Indian corn. The plants having been eut so much down, will, of course, start vigorously the ensuing Spring. A good hedge ought never to be trimmed in any other than in a conical shape. When trimmed in a conical shape, every shoot will enjoy the full benefit of air, light, and moisture, and by this simple and natural me- thod, a hedge can be shorn into a strong wall of verdure, so green and close from bottom to top, that even a sparrow cannot, without difficulty, pass through it. In order to make a hedge so thick and impervious as above men- tioned, it is necessary to go to work even in the first sum- mer, with a pair of hedge shears, pruning the young growth, when about three months old, at the same time laying down some of the most vigorous shoots to fill up some vacant places near the ground; these shoots may be fastened to the ground with some hooked pegs; they may be considered as layers, will soon send up a number of sprouts, and make the hedge impenetrable for pigs, and nearly for rabbits. The young twigs may be trimmed in a wedge shape, not more than one foot high, and at the > base, six inches broad. The next season the hedge may be allowed to grow one foot higher, and three or four inches wider at the base. Thus the management must be continued until the hedge has attained the intended hight, allowing an addition of four inches broader at the bottom, for every foot more in hight. SEAS Soda, s 5 trace Chloride of eadtun. ; Deed as ds Insoluble matter—Carbonate of Lime, : 5.74 Do. Magnesia, Uv 16.89 Phosphate of Lime, : 30.09 Do. Magnesia, . trace Do. Tron, s trace Silica, : ; : | Oe 59.99 128 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. The above analysis indicates for Garlic a soil abounding in potash and phosphate of lime, which may be supplied if necessary by a compost of ashes and bone-dust. Culture-—Garlic likes a dry light rich soil, but not freshly manured; the manure should be put on the pre- ceding crop. Prepare the ground as directed for the rest of the onion tribe, and mark it off into drills eight inches apart. Plant the cloves four inches distant in the drills, and two inches deep, and see that they are put in right side up. Keep the ground free from weeds, and light by frequent hoeing; plant from October to March. A few roots may be taken up the latter part of May for use as required, but do not lift the crop until the leaves are withered. Break down the seed stalk if it rises, to prevent from running to seed, which would lessen the size of the bulbs. When the leaves turn yellow, take them up and dry them thoroughly in the shade, tie them together by the tops, and lay them up for winter in a dry loft as you would onions. If the ground is not needed for another crop, they may remain to be drawn as wanted, Use—This plaat has a well known strong penetrating odor which is most powerful at mid-day. In medicine it is an excellent diaphoretic and expectorant; a diuretic when - taken internally. If garlic be steeped in brandy, the tincture it forms is an excellent medicine for children. A teaspoonful should be given every morning in spring to every child on the premises, black or white, that is subject to worms, as it acts as an excellent tonic and anthelmintic. Some nations use it very extensively for seasoning soups and stews, and indeed it enters into almost every dish; but in this country it is not very much liked. Still a very slight, scarcely perceptible flavor, or as the French have it—a soupgon of garlic is not repugnant, but LEEK. 129 rather agreeable to most tastes. The juice is a good cement for broken china. Allium Fistolosun—CIBoULE, OR WELSH ONION. This is a perennial with large succulent fistular leaves, never forming bulbs, but cultivated for a spring salad. Sow the seed the last of September. It will continue growing all winter, withstanding the severest frosts. Sow thickly, and thin out when wanted for use. It may be sown at any time during the winter, but it is better when sown as directed above. Once introduced into the garden it will last many years, but it is hardly worth cul- tivating as, on account of its strong taste, it is much infe- rior to the common onion. Allium Porrum—LEEK. The leek is a hardy biennial, found wild in Switzerland, but has been cultivated in gardens from the earliest times. It is mentioned in the Scriptures with the onion, as one of the vegetables of the Egyptians; and at the present day is often associated with the name of St. David, the patron saint of the Welsh. ‘This plant endures the extremes of heat and cold without injury. The following analysis of the ashes of the roots and leaves of the leek is by Rich- ardson : : Balb. Stem. Potassa, BeLoO 13.98 Soda, 8.04 14.43 Lime, 12.66 25.10 Magnesia, 2.70 trace Sulphuric Acid, 8.34 16.50 Silicie Acid, 3.04 19:77 Phosphoric Acid, 15.09 Phosphate of Iron. 13.29 10.06 Chloride of Sodium, 4,49 trace 100.00 99.84 6* 130 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Wesee from the above that a good soil for leeks abounds in potash, lime, and sulphuric and phosphoric acids. Ashes, bones, gypsum, and common salt, will supply the requisite salts if wanting, for this or almost any other garden crop. A compost of guano, gypsum and charcoal would be very beneficial. Varieties—These are two, the Scotch, which is the larger and hardier, and the London, which by many is considered the better of the two. Culture-—The leek is raised solely from seed which may be sown at any time during autumn, winter, and spring, until the middle of April. February is the best month for the purpose, if but one crop is raised. The soil for leeks as for the others of the onion tribe, should be light and rich; the blackest and most fertile soil of the garden, but the manure applied must not be rank. The same guano compost may be applied as for onions. Leeks are generally sown broadcast, but it is a much neater method to sow in drills. Make the drills in the seed-bed eight inches apart, and about an inch deep, and scatter the seed rather thinly. Press the earth upon the seed as directed for onions. Some gardeners thin them out, and allow them to remain in the seed-bed, but the leek is so much improved by transplanting that this plan cannot be recommended. When the plants are three or four inches high, they must be weeded and thinned to one or two inches apart, and frequently watered in dry wea- ther. The seed-bed must be kept clean and light by weed- ing, or the use of the hoe whenever required, until the plants are six or eight inches high, when they will be fit for transplanting. They must then be taken away from the seed-bed, the ground being previously well watered, if not already soft and yielding. Having prepared beds four feet wide by spading in a LEEK. Tél quantity of well-rotted manure, lay it off in little trenches twelve inches apart, and as deep as the hoe will conve- niently go. Dibble holes three inches deep, and six inches apart in the bottom of the trenches, in which set out the plants. Press the earth to the roots and neck only, and not to the leaves. ‘The tops may be slightly trimmed and the roots slightly shortened. Some prefer planting them on the level surface of the prepared bed, by inserting them in holes made with the dibble, in rows ten inches asunder, and eight inches apart in the rows nearly down to the leaves, with the whole neck beneath the surface, that it may be well blanched. Choose a moist time for transplanting, and give a little water should they droop A portion may remain in the seed-bed, six inches apart in the rows, but they do not grow as large as the transplanted ones. The beds must be hoed occasionally to keep them free from weeds and loosen the soil. In dry weather they should be freely watered. By cutting off the leaves a lit- tle about once a month, the neck will swell to a much larger size; earth them up gradually if they stand on a level ground, and, if in the trenches, the earth should be drawn by a hoe, little by little, into the trenches, as the plants increase in growth. If a very early crop of leeks is desired, they may be planted in September, and the plants will be ready to set out the middle of February ensuing, and will come into use in June or July. Leeks can be planted between almost any other crop by giving six inches extra room. For Seed—Some of the finest roots ot last year’s growth, may be transplanted in February, eight inches distant in arow. When the seed stems arise, they must be supported by tying them to stakes. The heads should be cut when changed to a brownish color, with about a 132 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. foot of the stalk attached, for the convenience of tying them into bundles of three or four to dry. When dry, they may be hung up in a dry place, and kept in the head until wanted, or threshed out and stored in paper bags; the seed will keep two years. Use.-—The whole plant is much used in soups and stews, but the most delicate part isthe blanched stems. From its mild agreeable taste, it is esteemed by many above the onion. To Boil-—Trim off the coarser leaves, cut them into equal lengths, tie im small bunches, and boil in plenty of water, which has been previously salted and skimmed. Serve them with melted butter. They need about twenty- five minutes boiling. If the water is changed when half done, they are much more delicate, the strong flavor being entirely removed. v Allium Ascalonium—SHALLOT, OR ESCHALLOT. This plant derives its botanical name from growing wild at Ascalon, in Syria. It has a stronger taste than the onion; but as the strong flavor does not remain so long upon the palate, it is often preferred. The root is bulbous, similar to that of garlic, in being divided into cloves, in- cluded in a membrane. It rarely sends up a flower-stalk, and hence is often called the barren onion. Culture.—It is propagated from the offsets of the roots. Prepare the beds as for the rest of the onion tribe, but it will do with not quite as rich a soil. Let the soil be made perfectly light and friable. The last of September is the best time for planting the early crop, but they may be planted any time during the autumn and winter. The early planted ones come into use early in May. Make the beds four feet wide, and mark them off in drills an inch deep, ten or twelve inches distant, and put the offsets SHALLOTS. 135 out six inches apart in the drills. Do not cover deeply; leave the point of the clove just even with the surface of the earth, and press the soil around. Keep the ground free from weeds, but be particular, in hoeing, not to earth up the bulbs. The leek is the only member of the onion tribe that is not injured by gathering the earth about its stem. ‘Take up the bulbs when ripe, dry in the shade, and preserve as garlic. They may be kept until the next spring. Use—The shallot, though more pungent than some members of the onion family, is preferred by many in sea- soning gravies, soups, and other culinary preparations, and by some considered almost indispensable in the prepara- tion of a good beefsteak. It can be pickled in the same manner as the onion. Shallot Vinegar—Peel and chop fine four ounces of shallots; pour on them a quart of the best vinegar, and let them steep a fortnight; then strain and bottle it— Miss Leslie. Shallot Sauce-—Put a few chopped shallots into a little gravy, boiled clear, and nearly half as much vinegar; sea- son with pepper and salt; boul half an hour—WMrs. Hale. Allium Schencprasum—Cuives, oR CIVES. A perennial plant, growing wild in the meadows of Britain, as some varieties of the same genus do in this country. ‘The bunches are made up of a mass of little bulbs, and produce pretty purplish flowers early in sum- mer. Culture—Any common soil will answer for this plant. Divide the roots in autumn or spring, and plant them on a bed or border, in little bunches of ten or twelve offsets, in holes made with the dibble ten inches apait. If kept free from weeds, they will speedily make large bunches, . . 184 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. a few of which will supply a large family. Cut the tops smoothly off near the surface, when wanted, and fresh ones will soon spring up. Cives make a very pretty edging for beds in winter and spring. Renew this plant every four years by taking up and dividing the roots. Use.—It is an excellent substitute for young onions in winter and spring salading, and is also used like leeks and onions in seasoning soups, gravies, &c. The leaves, cut up fine and mixed with meal and water, are often fed to young chickens as a preventive of disease. The little bulbs may be taken up and stored, and are a tolerable substitute for small onions. Allium Scorodoprasum—RocaMeoLe. or Spanish Garlic, as it is sometimes called, has its bulbs and cloves growing in a cluster, forming a kind of com- pound roct. ‘The stem also bears bulbs at its summit. Culture—lIt is best propagated by the root-bulbs, those of the summit being slow in production. The planting may be made at any time in the fall, winter, or spring. Insert the bulbs in drills, or with the dibble, six inches apart each way. Do not plant them deep. Keep clear of weeds, and cultivate and store like garlic. A very few roots are suficient for any family. Use-—The bulbs are used in the same manner as garlic, and are preferred for cooking, being of much milder flavor. Aprum. Plants of this genus flourish best in a soil moist, friable, and rather inclining to lightness. It must be rich, and that rather from former applications than the immediate addition of manure. Celery and Celeriac, however, appear benefited by its abundant application at the time of sowing and planting. CELERY. 135 The Parsleys like a tolerably dry soil. For all the genus it must be deep, and none of them thrive so well on a strong clay. They like an open situation, free from the influence of trees. ‘The common parsley bears best a confined and shady situation. They have recently been placed in the genus Petroselinum. Apwm Graveolens—CELERY. Celery is a biennial plant, a native of Britain, where the wild variety, under the name of Smallage, is found growing in low, marshy grounds, and by the sides of ditches, and is a coarse, rank weed, with an unpleasant smell and taste. It has also been found growing wild on the shores of the Chesapeake. No plant has been more improved by culture than this, which, under the gardener’s hand, from a worthless, disagreeable, and, as some say, poisonous weed, has become, with its crisp, blanched stalk, and deli- cate aromatic flavor, a favorite vegetable with the epicure There are several varieties of celery, of which we shall notice but four, viz.: Red Solid —The hardiest variety, for winter use, with- stands frost, and is distinguished by its color from the next. White Sclid is more crisp and delicate in flavor than the preceding, and a general favorite, on account of its color. Seymour's Red, and Seymcur’s White seem to be im- provements on the old red and white solid, producing larger and finer stalks, but these depend for size and excel- lence very much upon the growers. Any one of the above varieties will give satisfaction, with proper culture. An analysis of the ashes of celery has been made by Richardson, which we give below. One hundred pounds of celery gave 1 ,j, pounds of ash, containing the follow- ing constituents : 136 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Potassa, : } " ; F 22.07 Lime, , ' : ‘ 13.12 Magnesia, . : ‘ , : 5.82 Oxide of manganese, ; i 1.92 Sulphuric acid, . ‘ : j 5.58 Silicie acid, ’ : : ; 3.85 Phosphoric acid, . ‘ 11.58 Phosphate of iron, . , : 2.66 Chloride of potassium, ; ; 33.41 From the above we see that the soil for fine celery must be rich in potash, lime, phosphoric acid, and chloride of potassium. ‘The abundance of potash and chloride of potassium explains the beneficial action of salt and ashes upon this plant. But it will not do to depend upon special manures alone, without the addition of ammoniacal fer- tilizers. Culture-—Celery can be very successfully cultivated in this climate. The ground for this plant must be quite rich, without the application of heatmg manure. It likes a cool, moist, but not wet soil. There are several modes of cultivation, of which we shall give but two. The best mode is to sow in February, March, or April, in drills seven or eight inches apart. As celery is a long while vegetating in the open air, it is desirable to sow the early crop under glass. Let the seed-bed be very rich, and - with a little salt well mixed with the soil. Water freely in mild weather, when the soil appears too dry, taking off the sash in warm days, and giving air every day at noon until the seed comes up, which, if managed in this way, will not be long in making its appearance. After the seed is up, the glass should still be kept on nights, until mild spring weather, when it may be removed altogether. Celery is yery much benefited, while in the seed-bed, by shading it at mid-day, and the April sowing must be shaded, or it will not come up. Frequent watering with CELERY. 137 guano-water, or liquid-manure, very much diluted, 1s ex- ceedingly beneficial. ‘The plants also should be kept clean and thinned out, while not over three or four inches high, to three inches apart. Choose damp weather for this purpose. ‘hose which are taken up may be replanted in a bed prepared by thorough digging in the richest part of the garden. With the uppermost six inches of this bed should be incorporated as rich a coat of well-rotted manure as can well be mixed in. Plant them out three imches apart each way, and water them thoroughly every night, unless the weather be cold or wet. Keep them shaded during the day for a short time, until established. Here let them remain until fit to plant out permanently. Those which remain in the seed-bed should have their tops short- ened, to make them grow more stoutly, and be frequently watered. The earth should always be stirred the morning after giving water, to prevent the ground from growing hard. The transplanted ones will make the finest crop; but for late celery, they should be cut off nearly to the crown, two or three times, to make them grow stout. When the plants are grown from six to nine inches high, it will be the proper time to plant those for early celery where they are to remain. And now, if you wish extra fine heads, trench your celery-patch, which must be very rich, twenty inches deep, turning the rich soil to the bot- tom, and the poor subsoil to the top, which will be just as good for blanching as the best. As the celery is to be planted in a trench, this will throw the best of the soil where the roots of the plant can appropriate it. In the soil thus prepared, dig trenches three and a half feet apart, a foct wide, and the same indepth. Draw a line and mark out the sides by thrusting down the edge of the spade before digging out the earth, and then lay the soil taken out carefully on each side in the spaces between the trenches. 1388 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. If there is danger that the water from the adjoining parts of the garden should wash in and fill up the trenches, then the celery plantation must be protected by a ditch. The soil can hardly be made too rich; therefore, incorpo- rate well-decomposed stable manure with the bottom soil of the trench, and intermingle it with good rich earth, so as to fill up the trench about four inches, leaving it eight inches deep. Add bone-dust, if you can get it, and let a pint of salt be added to every fifty feet of trench, and thoroughly intermingled with the soil. When celery is raised on a large scale, Professor Mapes directs the follow- ing composts to be put in the bottom of the trench :—One half cord well-decomposed stable manure, thoroughly mixed with ten gallons strong brine; or one cord swamp- muck or leaf-mould from the woods, decomposed with the salt and lime mixture, well intermingled, with fifty pounds Peruvian guano, ten days before use; or one load charcoal dust, two hundred pounds guano, and two bushels of com- mon salt: mix the salt and guano with water, to the con- sistence of cream, and thoroughly intermingle with the charcoal dust. The last manure is much more powerful than the others, and a less quantity is required. If the weather is not cloudy or damp when you wish to transplant, saturate your nursery-bed, two or three hours before planting, with water, and take up each plant with a trowel, leaving a ball of earth attached. Cut off the straggling leaves, shorten in the remainder, and remove the offsets, but do not disturb the crown of the plant. Transplant late in the evening, and if done with care, and they are freely watered, they will hardly need shading, unless it is very hot. The plants should be six inches apart in the trenches. Stir the soil frequently, keep clear from weeds, and water copiously in dry weather with soap- CELERY. 139 suds, rain, or guano water. Earthing-up is necessary, in order to blanch and sweeten the stalk. If you wish very large plants, or to preserve for winter use, do not commence this until October; but if you desire a few, delicate and crisp, for early use, begin, when from twelve to eighteen inches high, earthing up a little at a time in fine dry weather, but not too often; once in two _or three weeks is sufficient, as, if disturbed too much, the stalks do not grow so large. ‘Take care not to cover the crown bud. At every earthing up, a very slight sprink- ling of salt in the trenches is advantageous. Continue the earthing up every two or three weeks, as the plant grows, | through the season. In earthing-up, care must be taken that the mould does not get between and separate the leaves, which induces decay. Hold the leaves tightly with one hand, and with the other draw the earth care- fully about the stems. ‘The earth should be fine and well pulverized. Draw it evenly in a sloping direction from the base to near the top of the leaf-stalks, and beat it compactly with the back of the spade to throw off violent storms. In the whole process of raising celery, the ground must be kept well pulverized and free from weeds, and liberal watering in continued dry weather is very neces- sary. Do not earth up celery while the plants are wet. The French bind the plants with straw bands, previous to earthing up, just as we do cardoons. Market gardeners do not prick out their celery at all; they let it grow pretty thick in the seed-bed, and if the plants get too high before the time of setting out, they cut the leaves off nearly to the crown. They make the trenches with the turning-plough, and after the earthing- up has proceeded so far by hand as to make the trenches level with the surface, they use the plough between the rows previous to earthing-up with the hoe. They also * 140 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. take their late and early plants from the same bed; for late celery, cutting off the plants as often as they get too high. Plants can thus be kept in the seed-bed until the last of July, and by being thus cut down, the butts and stalks of the celery will be stocky, large, and fine. Celery grows so quickly after the plant is established, that those plants put out the last of July, and earthed-up in October and November, make the finest butts for a main crop. There is beside no difficulty in their keeping. The very finest celery may be grown by the foregoing method; but celery, quite good enough for common use, can be raised after Mr. Peabody’s plan, which we give in his own words : “As the whole process of making celery is artificial, the soil must be very rich, without heating manure. The seed may be sown in February and March, and may be put in in drills, where it is desirable to have it stand for blanching (all the transplanting and trenching is non- sense); the seed should be sown very thin, and covered about half an inch, and the earth trampled quite hard on them, which will cause them soon to vegetate. When the plants are up three inches, thin them out, to a stand of about six inches apart, and in clear, dry weather, draw the earth up to the plant, taking care to leave the crown- bud uncovered. This must be repeated as fast as the plant grows, until a mound or ridge has been made around. the plant some two or three feet high. It will now be fit for-the table. On uncovering the stalks, they will be found to be beautifully blanched, and perfectly delicate and tender. A rough frame-work over the plants, covered with brush through the hottest part of the day, will be an advantage.” The advantage of growing celery in trenches, over Mr. Peabody’s plan, is, that not only are the stalks larger, but CELERY. 141 in our dry climate the plants are far less affected by drought, as the trenches retain all the moisture received. Very good celery for common use may be raised by setting the plants, when ready for final transplanting, between the rows of Irish potatoes ; as these have been hilled up, a trench already exists. This should be well dug, and plenty of rotten stable manure applied. By the time the celery begins to grow, the potatoes can be removed. As the celery advances in growth, draw the earth up to the stem, and continue this as long as it is in the ground. It will be just as good for soups as if grown in regular trenches, with not a tenth of the trouble, and in time gets large enough to eat as salad. Celery grown in rich ground is far more crisp and agreeable than on that less highly manured. Celery, in this climate, need not be gathered or stored away, but may remain in the ground until needed for use. In taking up, the row should always be commenced at one end, and the earth dug away entirely down to the root. ‘The plants can thus be easily extracted. If forced up, they break and are spoiled. To save Seed—Leave some plants where grown; in the latter part of February, take them carefully, cut off the outside leaves, and remove the side-shoots, and plant them out in moist soil, one foot apart. Select those which are solid and of middling size. 'Tie the seed-stalks to stakes, to preserve them from being broken off by violent winds. After the flowers open, while the seed is swelling, if dry weather occurs, water at least every other night. When the seed is dry, it may be rubbed out and stored in a dry place. They will keep good four years. Use-—Celery has some little nutriment, but is cultivated chiefly as a luxury. The sweet, crisp stalks, used raw, with a little sali, form a most grateful salad. It is also . 142 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. much used as a seasoning, and is a great improvement to all soups and gravies. A few plants for this purpose are as necessary and wholesome as onions. The unblanched leaves and seeds are sometimes employed in flavoring. The blanched stalks form a pleasant conserve, with the addition of sugar. To Stew—Wash the heads, and strip off the outer leaves; either halve or leave them whole, according to their size, and cut them into lengths of four inches. Put them into a stew-pan, with a cup of broth, or weak white gravy ; stew till tender; then add two spoonfuls of cream, a little flour and butter, seasoned with pepper, salt, nut- meg, and a little pounded white sugar, and simmer all together.—Mrs. Hale. Celery Sauce—Wash and pare a bunch of celery; cut it into pieces, and boil gently until tender; add half a pint of cream, and a small piece of butter rolled in flour; now boil gently. —Mrs. Hale. Apiwm Rapaceum—CELERIAC OF 'TURNIP-ROOTED CELERY. In Germany, this is esteemed an excellent vegetable, but it is not much cultivated by the English or Americans. Its root, well grown, is tender and of a sweeter flavor than the one last described. Celeriac is propagated by seed, which should be sown at the same time, and the young plants treated in the same manner as celery. Like that plant, the seeds are slow in coming up. Keep the plants free from weeds and prick them out when small, as directed in the last article; when the plants are six inches high they are fit for final trans- planting; set them in rows two feet asunder, and eight inches apart in the rows upon the level ground, or in drills drawn with the hoe three inches deep, as they CELERY. 143 require but little earthing-up. When arrived to nearly their full size, they must be covered over with earth to the depth of four inches. In dry weather they should be watered plentifully every evening, as they like even more water thancelery. The only additional attention required is to keep them free from weeds. ‘The plant is more easily cultivated than celery. Saving Seeds—The directions for celery are in every respect applicable to celeriac. Use.—This, though a very fine vegetable, seems to be little known. Thestalks are used for seasoning soups &c., the same as celery from which they can hardly be distinguished. The roots are nice boiled tender, cut in slices and used in seasoning soups or meat pies; or scrape and cut them in slices, boil till very tender, draw off the water, sprinkle a little salt and turn in milk sufficient to cover them ; stew four or five minutes, and serve up with the addition of a little butter—Jdrs. Webster. Bridgman says “ the French and Germans cut it in slices and soak a few hours in vinegar—by such simple prepara- tion it becames mellow as a pine-apple and affords a deli- cious and very nourishing repast.” The root is better than celery for seasoning soups. Apium Petroselinwm*—PARSLEY. Parsley is a biennial plant from Sardinia and southern Europe. There are two varieties, the plain and the curly- leaved. The first is most cultivated, notwithstanding the greater beauty of the latter for a garnish. The curled plant however requires more care in selecting, or it soon degenerates into the plain-leaved variety. Some think the plain has the best davor. Culture—Parsley is raised only from seed. Sow at * Petroselinum Sativum. 144 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. any time from the first of October until April. The seed if kept through the winter vegetates slowly and should be soaked twenty-four hours in water before planting. Parsley beds must be made annually if the plants are al- lowed to run to seed; but if the seed stalks are cut down as often as they rise, the plants will last many years. Many sow parsley as an edging to other beds or compart- ments. If sown in beds by itself, it is better not to sow broadcast, but in drills ten inches apart. Any good garden soil is rich enough for this plant. Pulverize the bed by thorough spading, and rake it level before making the drills. Sow the seed moderately thick in drills an inch deep, and press the soil upon the seed; a few radish seed may be sprinkled in the drills to mark them. The plants will not come up in less than three or four and sometimes six weeks. If sown late give ita shady border. October is the best month to sow this plant. Should the bed get weedy before the parsley appears, pull the intruders out by hand. As soon as the rows can be seen, hoe between them and draw a rake crosswise to break the crust which has been formed, and the plants will grow vigorously. They will be fit for use when two or three inches high. When they get strong, thin them out to three inches and finally to nine inches apart, being careful to reject all plants from the seed bed that are not nicely curled. If they grow too rank in summer, cut them off close to the collar. Soot is the very best manure for parsley, but it should be sparingly applied. A bed six feet long by four feet wide is large enough for almost any family. It is best to appropriate to it such a bed, where it will sow itself and yield a constant succession of new plants. Parsley needs no protection here, but grows all winter. Cut off the plants closely in October that they may send up a fresh growth for winter use. HAMBURGH PARSLEY. . 145 To save Seeds——All you have to do, is to let some of the finest curled plants throw up seed-stalks; let them stand eighteen inches apart; when the seed ripens it may be stored in a dry place. It will keep good several years, and it is singular that seed four years old will come up more quickly than that gathered six months before sowing. Use-—Parsley is a very agreeable and useful plant, affording a beautiful garnish. It is also used for its aro- matic properties in seasoning soups, stews, and meats. The green leaves eaten raw diminish the unpleasant smell of the breath after eating leeks and onions. It can be dried in summer, pounded fine, and put away in bottles; but this is of no use in this climate, where fresh, green parsley can be had all winter from the garden. A tea -made of the root is a good diuretic for children. The plant is also said to be useful in dropsy. Apium Latifolium*—HAmMBURGH PARSLEY. .This plant is also known by the name of bread leaved or large-rooted parsley. It is not much cultivated ; it is propagated by seed, which may be sown from October to April. Sow thinly in drills, ten inches apart, in good soil, well dug and raked clean previous to laying out the drills. The plants come up about a month after sowing. When tolerably well grown, thin them out to nine inches asunder. Clean the bed from weeds, either with the hand or the hoe. Hoeing as often as the weeds appear or the ground gets hard is all the cultivation they need. By the first of July the plants may begin to be drawn for use. They can remain in the bed during the winter, to be drawn as required. : To obtain Seed.—Allow some of the best plants to re- 2 *Petrosclinum 146 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. main and throw up seed stalks. When the seed is ripe, cut, and when perfectly dry beat out and store away in a dry place. Use—The root is the part used, and is about the size of a middling parsnip. By boiling, it is rendered very tender and palatable. It is eaten either as a sauce to meats or in soups like the carrot, but is not likelv to come into very general use. Arachis Hypogea—GROuND Pra. This plant is likewise known as the ground nut, pindar, and pea nut. Although not exactly belonging to the kitchen garden, a few hills should be allowed a place for the sake of the little folks, and indeed when baked few of the older members of the family will find them un- palatable. The ground pea was originally brought from Africa. It is also said to be a native of Mexico. This plant is a trailing annual, one of the few which ripens seed under ground. The yellow pea-shaped flower springs from the part of the stem near the surface of the earth, and after being fertilized, the flower stem elongates, growing from four to eight inches, turning downward until the small tubercle which isto be the future seed-pod, reaches and penetrates the earth. From the lower extremity of each legume, in the early part of its growth filaments proceed, seeking moisture and probably nutriment from the soil. The seed of the ground pea abounds in a fine oil which is sometimes expressed for table purposes. This oil rencers it a very valuable crop for fattening hogs, being for this purpose fully equal to, and probably better than corn. The vines are greedily eaten by most farm animals. Cultuwre—The ground pea thrives and produces best on ARRACACHA. 147 a light, tolerably fertile soil with a good clay subsoil. Like clover, it possesses a long tap-root which extends deep into the earth, drawing thence the fertilizing properties which are beyond the reach of many of our cultivated crops. The soil should be deep and mellow and well broken up, so as to be ready for planting soon after the heavy frosts are over. The last of March or the first of April is a suitable time. For field culture, they may be planted in the pod, two in the hill; but for the garden should be shelled. It is best to drop about four in a hill on the level ground; the rows being laid off three and a half feet wide and the hills two feet asunder; cover them two or three inches. When they come up, thin them to two in a hill and, if there be any vacancy, transplant. It is better to plant them level than on ridges, as they are less liable to suffer from drought. As they continue growing all the season, it is well to get them started as early as the season will permit. The only after-culture they require is to keep the ground clear and mellow, and a slight hilling up when they are laid by. They will produce from twenty-five to seventy or eighty bushels per acre, according to soil and culture, and are as easily cultivated as corn. Arracacha Esculenta. This is an umbelliferous plant, a native of Columbia, the root of which has been compared to the potato in ex- cellence and even supposed by some, likely to supersede it. Its main root divides into several large prongs. It considerably resembles celery in the appearance of its leaves, and belongs to the same natural family. Its root is light, starchy, and wholesome, and to those accustomed to it, agreeable. It is said to thrive best in the elevated mountain regions where the medium temperature does not 148 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. exceed 60°. It is propagated by division of the root an more rarely by seed. It is worthy of trial here. Artemisia Dracunculus—TArRRAGON. This is a perennial plant, a native of Siberia. It belongs to the same genus as the wormwood, but its frag- rant smell and warm aromatic taste have introduced it into the kitchen garden. There is but one variety culti- vated. Culture—This plant does not require a rich soil, and as it is a native of a cold climate, it is best to give it a bleak winter exposure. Poor dry earth is necessary to perfect its flavor. ‘Tarragon is propagated by seed, slips, cuttings and parting of the root. ‘The latter is the easiest mode and most generally practised. It may be planted in Feb- ruary, the plants being ten inches apart. Give a little water in dry weather until they are rooted. As they run up, if seed is not desired, cut down the seed stalks and they will shoot up afresh. Keep them free from weeds. It has been cultivated here with success. , Use—Tarragon is used in salads to correct the coldness of other herbs. Its leaves are excellent pickled or for. flavoring vinegar to be used for fish sauces or with horse- radish for beef steaks. Asparagus Officinalis—ASPARAGUS. This plant has been cultivated as a garden vegetable, for at least two thousand years. Cato, 150 years before Christ, gives a full detail of its mode of culture among the Romans. Its culture originated probably in Greece, for its name is pure Greek, and signifies a bud not fully opened; and it is known throughout Europe, by names derived or corrupted from the Greek. . ASPARAGUS. 149 The wild asparagus is found native in Japan, and on the sea coasts of most parts of Kurope. In its wild state, the stem is not thicker than a goose- quill. From this plant, by the aid of manure and culture, our delicious garden varieties were raised. Miller has succeeded in effecting the same result in modern times. There are only two varieties of asparagus of any im- portance, the green and the red-topped. The latter with purplish green shoots, is the one principally cultivated. There are some sub-varieties, but these derive all their merit from superior cultivation. The following analysis of asparagus is by Thomas Richardson : Potassa, . : f 4 ; on Oe Seda, . : $ ; , j o4.21 Lime, F : : ; 3 Pal a: Magnesia, . : ; : ; 3.03 Sulphuric Acid, : ‘ ‘ . 4.13 Silicie Acid, . : : : ay eee Phosphoric Acid, - ‘ : BR Io 85 Phosphate of Iron, d ; : Seok Chloride of Sodium, . t . 12.94 100.00 The per-centage of ash was only ifs of a pound, from one hundred pounds of the undried plant. In other analyses of asparagus the proportion of soda is ~ considably reduced. Asparagus, like some other plants has the power of substituting the other alkalies, lime and potash, in the place of soda. All of the analyses exhibit larger proportions of chloride of sodium, or its elements, chlorine and sodium, also of phos- phoric acid. In the present instance, over three-fifths of the inorganic elements of the plant, are made up of these constituents. 150 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. This very clearly explains why salt and sea-weed are found so beneficial, and shows that the application of bone ma- nure, or superphosphate of lime, in connexion with animal manures, may be beneficial. In the analysis of the wild plant, the proportion of these elements is quite as large. Culture-—Asparagus is propagated only by seed, one ounce of which will produce a thousand plants. Sow the seed any time in February, or early in March. It likes a fresh and deep sandy loam, the richer the better—as free as possible from all shade of trees or shrubs. Soak the seed twenty-four hours before planting, and it will come up earlier ; draw the drills one foot apart, and with a dibble make holes six inches distant, in which drop two or three seeds. Let the seed be covered an inch deep, and press the earth upon it. In very dry weather the seed-beds should be frequently watered. If unable to sow as early as directed, shade must be given to the bed, for which pur- pose pine boughs are well suited. These should be removed nights and cloudy days. Care must’ be taken to keep the seed-bed light and free from weeds, though this operation must be delayed until the plants appear well above ground. If two plants appear in the same hole, the weaker must be removed as soon as that point can be determined. ‘Trans- planted, these will make pretty good plants by fall. If they are to remain in the seed-bed until spring, which is best, when the stems are withered, cut them down and spread well-rotted stable dung over the bed two inches deep, which will increase the vigor of the plants the next year, and also protect them from frost. Asparagus treated in this manner will perfect seed the first year in this climate, and the roots one year old, make quite as good beds as if allowed to remain in the seed-plot another year. You may plant them out safely in autumn or any time during the winter, choosing a mild cloudy day, ASPARAGUS. 151 and protecting them when planted with a covering of ma- nure overspread with litter ; but the best time to transplant is when the plants begin to grow early in the spring, for if they remain torpid during two or three months, some of them will die, and all will be weakened. As it should be’a matter of pride to have this delicacy as early as possible, choose a site where the bed can be fully exposed to the sun. If you wish to prolong its season, . another bed may be planted on a northern exposi:e. The subsoil should be dry, and if not naturally so, musi | e well drained. It must be dug up thoroughly at least two and a-half feet deep, the poor soil removed, and its place sup- plied with rich light loam. On a plot of four square rods, sow from seventy-five to a hundred pounds of fine salt, and dig it in four or five inches deep. Asparagus is a sea- shore plant, and salt will not hurt it; but is life and nour- ishment to it. Bury your manure and mix it well through- out the whole depth, as you can hardly make the ground too rich. Asparagus will grow, it is true, without all this trouble, but the size, sweetness and tenderness of the shoots, will pay for doing the work in the best manner. After taking out the soil the bottom should be covered with at least six inches of well-rotted manure, as this can never be reached after the roots are once planted. Inter- mix nearly as much more throughout the bed, except the top four or five inches, as the manure should not come in contact with the fresh roots. So manured and deeply dug, the plants will send down their roots too deeply to fear a drought. Make the beds four and a half feet wide, and the paths two feet in width between the beds. The plants should be carefully taken up without injury, choosing a mild cloudy day, but the ground must not be wet. A narrow dungfork is a good instrument for the Bee GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. purpose. Lay the roots separately and evenly together, that they may not be entangled and injured while plant- ing; keep them while planting in a basket covered with a little sand. Plant your first row by straining a line four inches from the edge of the bed; then with your spade cut out a trench six inches deep with the side next the line perpendicular, in which set the plants twelve inches apart, if good large heads are desired. Place the roots against the perpendicular side of the trench, and spread them out evenly in the bottom of the trench, and cover them by drawing back the earth regularly over the plants about two inches deep. Draw the line again fifteen inches from the first, and proceed as above, leaving a path two feet wide, four inches from every fourth row. Some plant lettuce and radishes between the rows, but it is not advisable, though a crop of cabbages may be made in the alleys. After the beds have been planted, rake them smooth, and do not tread between the rows. Keep the edges of the bed smoothly trimmed and even. ‘The beds are made narrow to avoid the necessity of treading upon them with the feet, as they should be left as light as pos- sible, for lasting from ten to twenty years without work- ing, the rains will render them compact, and walking upon them would be very injurious. Water them daily in dry weather until the plants are well-rooted. Watering in dry weather in summer also is very beneficial. All weeds must be removed as they appear. As salt applied while the plants are young, is an excellent manure for this plant, the weeds may be easily kept down by its application. Old brine or refuse salt, in which meat or fish has been packed, is better than any other, as it abounds in the blood and juices of the meat, which are a most valuable fertilizer. You need not fear applying too mueh salt, as old beds have been covered an inch deep, and the plants ASPARAGUS. 153 continued to thrive; but a sprinkling just sufficient to make the soil look white, is enough. As soon as the plants have turned yellow in the fall, cut them down close to the ground, but be careful not to do this early, or they will throw up new shoots and be muck weakened. Remove the stalks and all weeds from the beds—cover the beds with three or four inches of good stable manure, and let them remain until time for the spring dressing. If you have charcoal dust at command, a layer of an inch thick over the manure will be found quite useful in preventing the loss of ammonia. When the weather grows warm, the latter part of February, with a three-tined asparagus or manure fork, dig in the manure placed on the beds in the fall, and loosen the earth four inches deep, taking care not to wound the crowns of the plants. Give the beds a top- dressing of salt as soon as growth commences, and water freely in dry weather. Applications of liquid manure are likewise very salutary. A good liquid manure for aspara- gus is an ounce of guano and four ounces of salt to two gallons of water. Guano or night soil composted with charcoal, so as to be entirely inodorous, is also beneficially applied at any time. Another slight covering of charcoal dust, after the spring dressing, will be of service, and make the shoots earlier. Until the bed is two years old, the alleys should bé also deeply dug and well-manured, as the plants will derive much nourishment from them. After that period the roots will extend so widely that they cannot be worked without injury. When the bed is one year old, it may, if it has been well-treated, be sparingly gathered from. The plants, if the season has been good, will be almost as well grown as those a year older at the North. It should be cut before the heads loose their compact form, when only four or five inches above the ground. Remove the earth to the bot- \ 1% 154 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. tom of the stalk, and cut it off sloping with a pointed knife, taking care not to wound any other shoots that may be near it, as they are constantly putting forth from the crowns. Too many shoots should not be cut from the beds, nor the gathering prolonged too late. Whenever the bed puts up weak and small shoots, these should be allowed to remain, which will increase the size of the remaining shoots, and the future value of the bed. When green peas become plentiful, it is high time the asparagus bed should rest. After the cutting ceases, you may judge from the size of the summer shoots the productiveness of the bed the coming spring. These elaborate the food for the future crop. The manure applied in autumn “has but little effect on the next spring’s shoots, but from its influ- ence. the strong growth of the succeeding summer will prepare an abundant supply of large shoots the second spring. ‘The sprmg and autumn dressings should be con- tinued while the bed lasts. Beds will remain productive ten or fifteen years. By planting a hot-bed thickly with thrifty roots, it comes into bearing in four weeks, and affords asparagus for a month in the winter season. Give plenty of air in mild weather. For Seed—Reserve some of the best shoots in the spring, and mark them by placing astake by each one, and let them run up and ripen their seeds. Take shoots with fine, round, close heads; fasten them as they grow up to the stake, andthe seed will ripen better, Gather the seed when ripe, and wash off the pulp and husk, which will pass off with the water, if gently poured off, and the seeds will sink to the bottom. Dry them thoroughly, and store away for use. They are, for your own sowing, just as well kept and sown in the pulp. Asparagus seed will keep four years. Use-—The tender shoots thrown up in the spring when ORACH. 155 from four or five inches long, are the parts in use, and are very delicate and much esteemed, though not very nutri- cious. They are excellent simply boiled, or as an addi- tion to soups when in season. To ccok Asparagus.—Select the large green stalks, wash them carefully, tie in bundles of twenty or thirty, put them into boiling water with plenty of salt; boil slowly twenty minutes; take them up with a skimmer without draining, and lay them upon toasted bread well but- tered. Another mode is to cut it into bits half an inch long, and boil the lower ends ten minutes before the points are put in; then put in the points and boil ten minutes more; serve as above. Atriplec Hortensis—ORACH. A hardy annual, a native of Tartary first cultivated by English gardeners in 1548. The stem rises three or four feet high with oblong varicusly-shaped leaves, cut at the edges, thick, pale green, and glaucous,and of slightly acid flavor, flowers of same color as the foliage. ‘There are two varieties, the pale green, and the red or purple leaved. Culture—Orach flourishes best in a rich, moist soil. It is raised from seed sown in drills, fifteen to eighteen inches apart, the first of October. The plants soon make appearance; when an inch high thin them to four inches asunder. Those removed may be replanted, being watered occasionally until established. Hoe them in a dry day, keeping the ground loose and free from weeds. Use-—The leaves and tender stalks are cooked and eaten like spinach, to which it is preferred by many. They must be gathered while young, or they are worthless. It belongs to the chenopods, Jerusalem oak tribe of \ 156 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. plants; a family whose wholesomeness is very suspicious. Its seeds are said to excite vomiting. Burbarea Precox—AMERICAN CRESS. A biennial plant, with yellow flowers, the radical leaves of which are lyre shaped, and the upper ones pinnatified, and cultivated in some gardens as a winter salad. Often it is called watercress at the South. Sow either in drills or broadcast in a moist place, the last of August, September, or early in October, giving water in dry, hot weather. Let the plants remain six or eight inches apart. Preserve afew good plants for seed. Use-—It is generally liked as a winter or early spring salad somewhat like the watercress, but more bitter. Barbarea Vulgaris—WINTER CRESS. Resembles the foregoing, but is a perrennial plant with larger leaves. The use and culture are the same. Less bitter than the foregoing. Beta—BEET. Of this genus there are two species cultivated in gar- dens, viz.: Beta Crela, and Beta Vulgaris—the latter of which has many varieties. Beta Vulgaris—ComMMon BEET. This is a biennial plant, a native of the seacoasts of the south of Europe, and is said to have been cultivated for its beautiful red roots long before its edible properties were discovered. It was introduced into England by Tradescant, in the year 1656. Its name is said to come from the resem- blance of its seed to the letter Betw of the Greek alphabet. BEET. 157 The catalogues contain a large number, of varieties of which the best are: Extra Early Turnip, cr Bassano Beet—The root is oval; color, pale red. Downing truly says “it is the sweetest, most tender, and delicate of all beets;’’ but the color boils out, so that it is not as beautiful as some others, yet it is the best early beet and one of the easiest grown. It is at least a week earlier than the Early Turnip Beet, an excellent variety that succeeds it. Radish Beet —Is named from its similarity to the scarlet radish in shape, though much larger. Color, very dark blood red. Roots of this variety over a-half yard long are not unusual. Its quality is excellent. Londcn Blood Beet—Is a brilliant, dark-colored beet of good form, and of a sweet and delicate flavor. The best of the late beets. These beets are best for family use, but if the seeds are not obtainable, the Early Blood Turnip Rooted, Early Long Blood, Extra Dark Blood, and White’s New Blood, are all good varieties. The Early Long Blood grows several inches above ground, and is more easily gathered than any other variety. The ashes of the beet root have been analyzed by Etti, who found them to contain the following constituents :— Potassa, F i p ; Si 1 OST Soda, . . , ; ? ? 21.12 Lime, ‘ F : : ; we aD Magnesia, . : ‘ ‘ 6.96 Sesquioxide of Ou. : : : .09 ~ Sulphuric Acid, . 3 F é 2.46 Carbonie Acid. 2 : ; . 29.10 Phosphoric Acid, : ; ¥ 2.39 Chloride of Iodium, : é as Sand and Silicie Acid, : ; 14.11 101.34 158 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. The beet being a native of the sea-shore abounds in soda, which can be supplied when deficient by an application of common salt the autumn before planting. This and leached or unleached ashes will afford nearly all the inorganic ele- ments of the crop. Beets can be planted in this climate, at any time from January to March, and as late as April, with a little care in shading and watering. When the surface soil is rich and the bottom poor, it will be difficult to make the beet, carrot, and other tap- rooted plants produce fine, smooth roots. This difficulty will cease if the ground be deeply and thoroughly worked, mingling the soil and making it uniform throughout, and taking care to place at the depth of one foot below the surface a layer of good manure. The best beets grow in sandy bottom lands, but any soil will answer for them if deeply and thoroughly worked and well manured. This is necessary with all tap-rooted plants, and especially with the beet. Beet seed is some- what slow in vegetating, and the later sowings may be soaked in water twenty-four hours before planting; make the beds four or four and a-half feet wide for convenience of culttivaing; spade them up at least a foot deep, eighteen inches is still better; mix ina good supply of well-rotted manure throughout, if the ground requires it. Rake the ground even and smooth, and mark out the rows twelve inches apart across the bed; draw the drills an inch and a-half or two inches deep, in which drop the seed two inches apart, and press the earth gently upon it. When the plants are up, thin them to six or eight inches apart, and keep the ground around them loose and free from weeds. In planting crops of beets, carrots, and parsnips, par- ticularly the two latter, it is well to sprinkle a@ few radish BEET. 159 seed in the rows to distinguish them. The radishes will be up in a week, and the ground can be hoed or weeded without any danger of destroying the young plants; and pulling the radishes is cultivation to the young crop. Drills can also be made between every two rows of beets, making a drill every six inches, which can also be sown with radishes or lettuce plants. I would never think of making beds exclusively for lettuce plants or radishes, as these can be grown between other vegetables without the loss of any room. But the ground must be very rich, as all garden soil should be, to bring forward both crops to perfection. For early beets it is well to prepare a good bed under glass in which the rows should be marked out a foot apart. The ground should be deeply spaded and thoroughly manured. Mark out your rows for the beets, and between the first two draw a drill in which you can sow your early York cabbage; between the next two you can raise all the butter lettuce you wish to set out for heading. In the rows of beets themselves you may sprinkle a a few radish seed ; then a row of later head lettuce, tomatoes, egg-plant, peppers, &c. The drills retained for the beets should be sown in this climate with the Bassano beet about the tenth of January. By the time the hard frosts are over, the beets, cabbages, &c., will be fit to transplant. Thin out to six inches apart, planting out those pulled up in the open ground. In transplanting the beet a deep hole should be made with a dibble, and the root not bent. Those that remain in the bed will soon come into use, and by the time they are gone the transplanted ones will come on for a succession. For very late beets, sow in a cool, moist place early in April; May or June would be still better, if the sowings were not so difficult to keep from being killed by the sun. Press the earth on the seed, and shade a 160 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. little until the plants come up; being sown later they will keep much better, and indeed can be had in pretty good condition through the entire winter. For this sowing, the London blood beet is the best. A few radish seed may be sown with them; after they come up they must be thinned to ten inches apart, kept clean, and frequently hoed—keeping the soil light and mellow. Any vacant spaces in the row can be filled by transplanting. About the middle of November, or when there is danger of a hard frost, the roots can be taken up, dried a little and stored away in casks with layers of dry sand, where they will keep in good condition until spring. The mangel wurtzel beet is much cultivated in some countries for feeding stock, and is very good for the table when young and tender, but in our long season it loses its sweetness before winter. Here the sweet-potato, ruta-baga and other turnips are more promising. For Seed—Select a few of the finest looking plants, smooth and well-shaped. Plant the different varieties as far apart as possible, indeed it is better to save the seed of only one kind the same year for fear of intermixture and degeneracy. Keep them free from weeds and tie the seed stalks to stakes to support them. Gather and dry the seed as soon as ripe and put away in paper bags. Keep dry and it will be good for ten years. Use—The young and tender tops are an excellent sub- stitute for spinach. When thinned out, the young beets pulled up, if cooked tops and bottoms, are very sweet and and delicate. . When well grown they afford an agreeable variety to our table vegetables, being tender, sweet, and consider- ably nourishing. They also make an excellent pickle. If eaten moderately, they are wholesome, but in too large a quantity produce flatulence and indigestion. The leaves WHITE BEET. 161 are said to abound in nitre; the roots are full of sugar, and are largely cultivated in France for its manufacture. To Boil—Wash the beets, but do not cut or scrape them. Boil from two to three hours (one hour will do when they are young); when quite tender take them up and plunge them into cold water for a minute or two, and the outside skin will peel off easily. If they are young beets they are best split into long pieces and seasonea with pepper and butter ; otherwise, slice them thin, when quite cold, and pour vinegar over them. When the beets get old they loose a good deal of their sweetness, and are made fit for the table by sprinkling each layer of beets when cut up while still hot with pow- dered sugar, and after the slices have dissolved and ab- sorbed this, add the vinegar and spices. To Pickle-—Boil them sufficiently tender to easily put a fork through them; put them into cold vinegar, with a little salt, seé them in a cool place, and stir them often to prevent any scum from rising. Beta Cida—Swiss CHARD, oR Wuite BEET This is also called the sea-kale beet. There are two varie- ties, the white and the green, which receive their names from the color of their foot-stalks. Either of these is good. The plant very much resembles the common beet, but the leaves and the stalks are much larger, thicker, more tender and succulent, and Jess capable of resisting frost. The root of this plant is small, coarse, and of no value, only the leaves and their stalks are employed, especially the latter, which are cooked and eaten as asparagus. Culture—The culture is exactly the same as the com: mon beet, except the plants should be twelve. or more inches apart. The soil may be richer and not so deep, 162 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. and the plants are more benefited by copious watering, especially with liquid manure. The beds should be four feet wide for convenience in culture. For winter use, the leaves may be covered with litter and afford blanched leaf stalks all winter. If the soil be moist and kept mellow, and free from weeds, it will yield bountifully. Salt is a beneficial manure for this crop, applied while preparing the ground, as it keeps it moist. It is singular that a plant of so easy culture and yielding during the entire season after May a supply of the most delicate greens, has not come into more general cultivation. ‘Those who have cultivated it once in good soil will hardly be willing to do without it. To preserve seed, see “ Beta Vulgaris.” Use-—The leaves, stalks, and all are boiled as summer greens; or the midrib and stalk may be peeled and boiled separately from the rest of the leaf and prepared as asparagus for which they are an excellent substitute. In gathering, the largest outside leaves should first be taken and the inner ones left to increase in size, taking care to gather them while still perfectly green and vigorous. The leaf-stalks are greatly improved if earthed-up like celery. To Boil—Strip the leaves from their stalks ; boil them very quickly ; drain and press very close, and serve with melted butter. The stalks tie in bundles ; boil till tender ; dress, and serve as asparagus. Brassica—Tue CABBAGE TRIBE. This tribe, perhaps the most important cultivated in our gardens, includes the cabbage, turnip, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels, sprouts, rape, and kale. It seems to be one of the most ancient in cultivation, and was a well-known favorite with the Romans. Lindley observes, that of this genus there are nearly a thousand species scattered over CABBAGE TRIBE. 163 the face of the earth, of which all are harmless, and many are highly useful. For the seed-bed the soil should be a moist loam, but . more dry in the case of plants which are to stand the winter. For final production most plants of this genus like a fresh, moderately clayey loam, very rich. A moist cool bottom suits them admirably; such of them as are to stand the winter in the open ground should be grown in a lighter soil, not over rich. Good well decomposed stable manure is usually employed in preparing the soil for this genus. Pure hog manure is objectionable, as it causes any of the cabbage tribe to become clump-rooted and loose their regularity of shape; if mixed with a very large proportion of leaf mould, or other carbonaceous matter, and thoroughly decomposed, it ceases to be objectionable. A plentiful application of salt the autumn before planting, say at the rate of eight or ten bushels per acre, is very beneficial to this tribe as it destroys the cutworm and keeps the. soil moist and cool. Bone-dust and especially superphosphate of lime has a very surprising effect upon them, far more than analysis would lead one to suppose. The ground is advantageously dug twice the depth of a spade, and should be well pulverized by the operation. All of the cabbage tribe are particularly benefited by ' frequent and deep cultivation ; they especially like to have the soil about them thoroughly worked while the dew is on them. There will be a very great difference in the growth of two plats of cabbages treated alike in other respects, one of which shall be hoed at sunrise, and the other at mid-day; the growth of the former will surprisingly exceed that of the latter. But you cannot hoe the cabbage tribe too much for their benefit even if daily. The situation must be open and free from all shade or drip of trees; if 164 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. shaded from the mid-day sun, it is an advantage, but it must not be by trees. In the shade of trees and other confined situations, they are much more subject to be infested with caterpillars, and to grow weak and spindling In planting out, any of which the roots are knotted and clumped should be rejected. Brassica Oleracea—CABBAGE. This vegetable has been long in cultivation. Pliny mentions the headed varieties, and it was then held in high esteem, not only as an esculent, but for its supposed medicinal properties ; it is a sea-shore plant, indigenous in various parts of Europe and in England; the wild variety is known as sea colewort, bearing but a few leaves, and those far from palatable, unless boiled in two waters to remove its saltness. The cultivated variety was probably introduced into England by the Romans, and the common name doubtless comes from the Latin Caput or head. This is one of the most useful crops in cultivation. Cab- bages are eatable almost from the time they leave the seed bed until they have acquired a hard close head; it is a crop that can be put on every bit of otherwise idle ground. It can be planted between beds and rows of any and every- thing else to be eaten as greens when young, or left to head on the coming off of other crops, and if there should be a superabundance above the wants of the family and servants, nothing is better for the cow and the pig. For early cabbage it is necessary to rely upon English seed, as the seed of the early varieties, saved in this country grow later by our culture, soil and climate. For late cabbage, the American seeds are superior to the imported, and pro- duce finer and larger heads. No seed for late cabbage is better than our own, if saved from fine large heads. But all the Jate cabbages in this hot climate without proper * CABBAGE. | 165 care, are prone to degenerate and run up into collards. There are many varieties of cabbage. The best varieties I have cultivated are the following :— Early York has been cultivated for more than a century. Heads small, a little heart shaped and very firm; its small size enables it to be grown in rows a foot apart each way, giving over 40,000 heads to the acre. Its earliness and fine delicate flavor make it a favorite, as the very best early sort for general purposes. Large Eurly York, or Landreth Large York, succeeds the above, and is equally desirable. It is of larger size, not quite so early and more robust, and bears the heat better, and in this latitude will often continue in eating all summer. . Early Dutch is an excellent variety that connects the early and late sorts, and is one of the very best in culture. It is succeeded by the Flat Dutch or drumhead, which is a large spreading, short-stemmed variety, flat on the top, close headed, firm in texture, and if headed late keeps well and is of better flavor than Bergen, which is also a drumhead cabbage, but larger; a little coarser and one of the best for late keeping. Green Glazed, in this climate is a more sure variety, as it is more capable of resisting the caterpillar and other insects which infest the other varieties, but it is a coarse variety with very loose heads. Red Dutch, used principally for pickling, and should be sown at the same time with the drumheads. Early York and Flat Dutch are the best of the above kinds. The analysis of the drumhead cabbage is given below. One thousand pounds of the plant when burned, produced eight pounds and four tenths of ash, which was composed of the following constituents :-— : 2 166 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Silicie Acid, . 3 i : : .06 Sulphuric Acid, ; : : 2 hi? Phosphoric Acid, . : F ; 1.27 Phosphate of PDs : s ; 5 theca Lime, . : : : : 29 Magnesia, : 4 ° . : ee Potash, : ; , G : 2.09 Soda, : ; g : : &. 3.02 Chlorine, : : : . 08 The above analysis is J. H. Salisbury, who also analyzed several other varieties. He found them all to contain a very large proportion of azote; after evaporating the water, drumhead cabbage gives of azote 17.899 parts in a hundred; savoy 20.763; red 16.212; turnip rooted 19.052. We also find this plant remarkably rich in phos- phorus and sulphur, hence its unpleasant smell in decay, like that of animal matter. It abounds also in soda and potash. Hence, common salt to yield soda and chlorine, wood ashes for potash, bone for phosphoric acid, and gypsum, to add sulphur and lime together with a soil saturated with manure of animals, especially the liquid excretion, all come in play in making fine cabbage. Frequent stirring the soil, too, will rob the atmosphere of its ammonia for the same purpose. Culture—For early use seeds of the Early York may be sown from January to March. If sown as early as the 1st of January, cover them slightly with litter to protect from frosts; but it is much better to sow them under a cold frame as directed in the article “ Beet.” If sown in the open air, as soon as the weather grows mild, take off the litter. The seed should be sown in drills, six inches apart, and one inch deep, and the ground deeply dug, but . it need not be, for this sowing, very rich. Water in mild mornings if the weather be dry, and give them the advan- tage of the rains; give the young plants plenty of air CABBAGE. 167 ( every mild day, and by the time the weather will admit, they will be ready to transplant. At this sowing should also be put in a few seed of the Large York and Early Dutch to succeed the early crop. Early cabbage seed may also be sown early in Septem- ber or October in the open ground; watering every two or three evenings when dry, as it usually is this month, The plants will appear in about a week, and a little soot should be scattered over them to prevent the attacks of insects. When large enough to transplant, they can be set very thick in a cold frame or box, to stand over the winter. Cover over with glass, or boards if you have not glass, during severe weather, but give air every mild day and set out when the weather grows mild in the spring. A still better way is, instead of putting the plants in a frame, throw a piece of ground into high ridges, two feet apart, running east and west. On the south side of these ridges, set out the plants a foot apart, so that they will be shielded from the cold north winds, and enjoy the full - warmth of the sun. Plant on the sides of the ridges and not in the trench. When the weather grows severe in December, cover. slightly with straw or litter; remove it when mild weather returns, and cultivate as usual, gra- dually levelling the ridges, and you will have cabbages earlier than by any other mode; the ground should be good. If you raise your plants in the cold frame they will be ready to transplant from the 20th to the last of February. They will be very liable to be eaten off by the cutworm when transplanted. There are two modes of preventing this, either of which, with me, is perfectly satisfactory. The best method is to sow the ground in- tended for cabbage the autumn after being spaded up, with salt at the rate of eight bushels per acre. On a part of my 1638 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. garden thus treated last November, 1 have not found a cutworm this year (1852). If this has been done you may plant your Early Yorks at a distance of twelve inches each way. If you have not already sown your cabbage plat with salt, there is another plan to keep off the cut- worm equally successful. Throw your ground into ridges and trenches sixteen inches apart; let these trenches be at least six inches deep. In the bottom of these trans- plant your cabbages, one foot apart. Some use a dibble, but a trowel is much better, as it does not leave the soil hard. Prepare your ground in dry weather, but choose a moist day for transplanting. It is a good plan to wet the roots before planting out. When they get rooted stir the soil gently about them, but do not fill up the trenches until the plants are so large that there is no danger of the worm. This method of protecting cabbages was pointed out to me by a negro gardener several years since, and I have tried it repeatedly. "The worm will not go down into the trenches to destroy the plants. When the plants get strong the ground should be deeply and repeatedly hoed. D6 this while the dew is on, and retain its ammonia in the soil. The cabbage is partial to moisture, so hoe it frequently, and when you go out in the morning you will find the plat moist with dew, while the unstirred soil around is dry as ever. The only secret in raising early cabbage is, set your plants in rich ground and stir the soul. On poor ground (and even on rich if half tended) they will run into collards. 7%z7 the sou and less manure is required. For the middle crop to last through the summer, the seed can be sown as above, or any time until the middle of March. The cultivation is the same, except that the plants should beset about sixteen to eighteen inches apart. CABBAGE. 169 . The varieties are the Large York and Early Dutch. These _ will not head unless the ground be rich, rather moist, and, above all, diligently worked. The late crop and the Red Dutch, for pickling, you may sow in February or March, or any other time there- after, until the 1st of August. The best timeis about the Ist of April. The early sown should not be transplanted until July or August. Let the ground be well-spaded, and thoroughly manured. They must be set in the ground up to the first leaf, no matter how long the stem may be, or they will not head. They also require a rich soil, but not from fresh manure. The manure for the cabbage crop should be thoroughly decomposed, or the plants will be covered with aphides or cabbage lice. The best way is to throw the ground into ridges from two to two and a half feet apart, making the trenches between more or less deep, according to the length of the stems; wet the roots thoroughly and transplant in moist weather, carefully transplanting them with a trowel, and when the ground gets dry draw the earth level, which should just reach up to the lower leaves. If seed of any of the cabbage tribe be sown after the weather grows warm, the soil must be pressed upon it by walking on a board, and it must be shaded by a covering of boards or pine brush during the day, removing it at night, until the plants get a little established. If the weather is warm and wet, the covering may be dispensed with. After the late cabbages are transplanted let them be well cultivated by deep and frequent hoeing, and don’t strip off the lower leaves if you wish them to head. Many remedies are employed to keep off the green worm, so destructive to the cabbage tribe. An infusion of tobacco or of the ripe berries of the Pride of China tree, sprinkled on them once or twice a week from a water-pot, is said to be effectual. Sprinkling with ashes is a good 8 170 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. practice ; also to coop a brood of chickens near, as they destroy the worm without injury to the cabbage. Break off a leaf at night and place it on the top of the head. In the morning early most of the worms will be on this leaf. Brush them off into a dish of soapsuds. Repeat this daily until the worms are destroyed. Aphides are not so apt to be trouble- some when the plants are in vigorous growth; an applica- tion of strong soapsuds generally destroys them. Dry charcoal dust mixed with Scotch snuff and dusted over them is however, the most certainremedy. Air-slacked lime in which a few drops of spirits of turpentine have been dif- fused, will generally drive away both aphides and the green worm. ‘The green glazed not being liable to be at- tacked by worms or insects is much the most reliable for a late crop, if it was only as good for the table. To preserve Cabbage-—Heel them in, in a dry situation, to their lower leaves, and cover slightly with plank, straw or pine brush, to keep them from freezing and thawing during the winter. Lo save Seed.—This should be attempted in this climate only with the late varieties which should be planted at a distance from turnips and all other members of this family, or they will intermix. Set out some of the best heads in the spring, support the stems as they rise by stakes, and gather the seed before it scatters. Seed will keep four years. Use-—Cabbage as an article of food is not so remark- able for its fattening properties as for its power of supply- ing strength for labor by producing muscle and bone, which it owes to its abundant nitrogen and phosphates. Hence it is very nutritious for, and much relished by laboring people in all parts of the world, but is apt to disagree with those of quiet and sedentary habits. Wath the latter %t is more wholesome and digestible if eaten uncocked. Many SAVOY CABBAGE. val persons can eat “cold slaugh” with impunity that are un- able to use boiled cabbage without great inconvenience. It is by many much relished when made into sauer kraut. It is also pickled. To Boil—Remove the loose leaves quarter the stump end of the cabbage, wash it perfectly clean, and boil from half an hour to an hour. If not boiled with salt meat, add a little salt; a little saleratus improves its color—WMrs. Webster. Sauer Kraut.——Shred very finely six white cabbages, having cut out the stalks; mix with them half a pound of salt, and press them as closely as possible into a cask ; put over a cloth, then a wooden cover, and upon that a heavy weight ; let it stand in a warm cellar two months, keeping the liquor that rises on it, and it will be fit for use; it should then be removed to a cooler place—Mrs. Hale. Sauer kraut for the table should be boiled or stewed. To Pickle. ‘Take off the outside leaves, quarter, cut out the stalk, shred the cabbage into a cullender and sprinkle with common salt; let the cabbage remain a day or two, when drain it, put it into jars, and fill up with boiling vinegar; add spices to your taste. Brassica Oleracea Subauda—Savoy CABBAGE. The Savoy, which is one of the best winter vegetables, probably derives its name from Savoy in Europe. It differs from the cabbage in the rugosity of its leaves. All its varieties are hardy, being rendered more sweet and tender by frost. The only two varieties of Savoy worthy of culture are : Curled Savoy—An excellent winter variety, much im- proved in sweetness and tenderness by frost. It does not head firmly, but is very fine flavored, and even the outside leaves are tender and palatable. 172 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Drumhead Savoy is almost as large and firm as the drumhead cabbage, and keeps very well. The head is round, flattened at top. It is nearly as delicate as the curled variety. The Savoys are not as certain a crop as the other cabbages, but far superior in delicacy. ‘They are nearly equal to cauliflowers. The chemical composition of the Savoy is similar to that of other cabbages, but it contains two per cent. less water. It culture from seed is precisely the same as drumhead cabbage. For cooking, see “ Cabbage.” Brassica Oleracea Subauda—(swb-variety )—BRUSSELS SPROUTS. This plant is a hardy variety of the Savoy, producing an elongated stem, often four feet high and crowned with leaves similar to the Savoy, in the axis of which spring small green heads like cabbages. The leaves dropping off leave the little heads arranged spirally around the stem as the plant proceeds in growth. Like the other Brassicas, Brussels Sprouts are raised from seed, which may be sown in April. Set the plants in rows one and a half feet apart each way, and treat in all respects as directed for winter cabbage. Cut off the leaves at the top of the stem some ten days or a fortnight before the little heads are gathered. For Seed —Cut off the top of the stem and permit the flower stalks to spring from the little heads only. Keep at a distance from all the other varieties of Brassica if you would have pure seed. Use—The top boiled for winter greens is very delicate in flavor and similar to the Savoy. But the little sprouts after they have been touched with frost, which very much improves them, are the parts most used. The GERMAN GREENS. 173 sprouts are fit for use all winter, and may be left in the open ground. To Boil—Soak them in clear water one hour, and wash free from dust and insects. Boil them twenty minutes or until tender in plenty of water. Drain them well, season with pepper, salt, &c., to taste, a sauce of cream or floured butter, in which stew them gently, stirrmg them con- stantly ; or they may be cooked simply as cabbages and eaten with meats. Brassica Cleracea Fimbriata—BorECOLE—GERMAN GREENS. This is the easiest cultivated, and for this climate, one of the most valuable of the cabbage tribe. This plant has large curled or wrinkled leaves forming an open head or stool, and such a hardy constitution that it resists the severest frosts which serve only to improve it. It remains green and eatable all winter without the least protection. The only two varieties I have tried are the German Greens and the Siberian Kale, either one of which is good enough as far as quality or ease of culture is concerned. They can scarcely be distinguished, but the Siberian Kale is a perennial, and is perhaps preferable on that account Culture—Raised from seed like the rest of the cabbage tribe, which you may sow in April with your winter cab- bages and treat in the same manner. Transplant, if Ger- man Greens, into rows eighteen inches apart and twelve inches in the row. Give it a good soil. The other variety requires about the same spaces as with cabbage. I have an excellent crop growing this year, 1852, sown the first of August, and treated exactly the same as Ruta Baga turnip. The outside leaves can be cut off for use when from 174 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. seven to nine inches long, leaving the others to come on in succession, affording a supply all winter. Its only enemy is the aphis or cabbage louse, for which try Scotch snuff and oil of turpentine. Seed.—Select some of the best heads and leave for seed, at a distance from any others of this family, and proceed as with cabbage. The seed will keep four years. Use—This vegetable affords very delicate winter and spring greens, far superior to cabbage, and nearly equal to the Savoy. It boils well and is most delicate, sweet and tender when touched by frost. To boil—Put in boiling water with a little salt, boil briskly twenty minutes, and serve as other greens. Brassica Oleracea Botrytis—C AULIFLOWER. This plant was introduced into England from the Island of Cypress, in the early part of the seventeenth century. It is a kind of cabbage with long pale green leaves, surround- ing a mass or head of white flower buds—in-short, “a giant rose wrapped in a green surtout,’ but much more like a mass of fresh curds than a rose. Since its introduction, it has been much improved by the skill of the gardener. The seed is generally imported from Europe. Varieties—There are several varieties early and late, but the late are the only ones that generally come to any- thing in this climate. Of the latter, there is the old variety, Late Dutch or Late London, which I have sueceeded with, and is perhaps as good as any, though the late Walcheren comes highly recommended for hardiness, and may be worth a trial. The ashes of Cauliflower have been analyzed by Richardson, and found to be composed of the following constituents : CAULIFLOWER. 175 Potassa, , } : ' , 34.39 Soda, Ree 35 " _ : ba ee Lime, : i : : : 2.96 Magnesia, : : : : se. ere Sulphuric Acid, . : i ; 11.16 Silicie Acid, . ; ; : orc k:82 Phosphoric Acid, j ‘ : 25.84 Phosphate of Iron, . ; : a4 ee Chloride of Sodium, . : : 2.78 99.89 Cauliflower requires the same special manures as cab- bage. ‘There is much less difficulty in its cultivation near the sea-shore than inland. The ground should receive a dressing of common salt as directed for cabbage. Culture—lIt is very little use to try to raise the early cauliflower. Sow however in September, and cover through the winter in a frame; transplanted into beds ten inches apart under glass, giving air as much as possible; plant out as early as is safe in February, carefully taking them up with a trowel, in order not to disturb the roots, placing them in rich ground two feet apart. Insert the stem in the earth nearly up to the first leaves. Shield them with boxes from heavy frosts and some will come to perfection. In a proper soil and location, the late varieties can be raised nearly as easy as cabbage. The best time to sow is about the first of April, though plants with care can be raised from that time until July. An ounce of seed will yield three or four thousand plants. The seed bed should be rich and deeply dug ; if the weather be dry, shade them a little by day until the seed gets up strong, and water them occasionally. ‘The drills may be eight inches apart in the seed bed. Thin out the plants to six inches. They can be planted out at the same time with 176 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. winter cabbage. Protect them from the cut-worm, and insects in the same manner. If possible, give them a plat of moist bottom soil, made very rich with well decomposed manure. ‘T'ake them up carefully with a trowel that the roots may not be injured, and plant in rows two feet asunder each way; water freely when needed, which in dry weather is every other day at least; if with liquid manure so much the better. Let them never suffer from drought; they will show when they need water by their drooping leaves. Soapsuds is an excellent application. Keep the ground hoed deeply and thoroughly about them, especially the day after each watering, that it may not bake. The hills should be hollowed about the cauliflower like a shallow basin to retain moisture. ‘The head may be blaneh- ed by bending the leaves and confining them loosely with a string. ‘They will head in succession during the autumn. When a cauliflower has reached its full size, which is shown by the border opening as if about to seed, the plant should be pulled, and if laid entire in this state in a cool place may be kept several days. ‘They should be pulled in the morning, for if gathered in the middle or evening of a hot day, it boils tough. When there is danger of severe frost injuring the cauliflowers that have not already headed, they may be protected by pine boughs or empty boxes or barrels where they stand—or pulled up with the earth attached to the roots, and removed to a cellar or out- building, where they will flower in succession all winter. In the low country this will hardly be necessary, and the spring crop is I believe more certain with them. For Seed—Set out, in spring, some of the finest heads, with fine, close flower-buds, and proceed as with cabbage. It is very liable to intermix with the other Brassicas; so that it is best to depend upon English seed. Seed will keep three or four years. BROCOLI. 177 Use-—The heads or flowers boiled, generally wrapped in a clean linen cloth, are served up as a most delicate dish. ‘Of all the flowers in the garden,” says Dr. John- son, “ give me the cauliflower.” Itis one of the-very best of vegetable products, and so prized wherever known. It is nutritious and wholesome even for invalids, beside being a very ornamental addition to the table. To Boil——Cut off the green leaves, and look carefully that there are no caterpillars about the stalk; soak an hour in cold water, with a handful of salt in it; then boil them in milk and water, and take care to skim the sauce- pan, that not the least foulness may fall on the flower. It must be served up very white, and rather crimp, with sauce, gravy, or melted butter—Jrs. Hale. Brassica Oleracea Botrytis Cymosa—BRocot.l. This plant differs from cauliflower in its undulating leaves, its larger size, andits color. Itis supposed to have originated from the cauliflower; is a hardier plant, but not so delicate in flavor. It has been cultivated about two hundred years, and was introduced into England from Italy. Brocoli is raised much more easily than cauliflower. ‘The purple -eape brocoli, producing large brownish heads, very close and compact, is the best for this climate. The analysis of broc- oli, by Richardson, shows the following constituents : ROOTS. LEAVES. Potassa, : : : 47.16 22.10 Soda, . ; ; ; nos Lime, . ‘ : . 4.70 26.44 Magnesia, ’ er eo: 3.43 Sulphuric acid, ‘ 10.35 16.10 Silicie acid, : : : .69 1.83 Phosphoric acid, . 24.83 16.62 Phosphate of Iron, . sw Ble 6.21 Chloride of Potassium, 6.22 Chloride of Sodium, . trace. ee 100.00 100.28 R* 178 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. It requires the same special manures as the cabbage and cauliflower. Culture—Brocoli can be sown in April, or by shading the seed-beds during the day, until the plants get strong, as late as the middle of July. For this and cauliflower the seed-beds should be rich, and the plants well watered in dry weather. The drills should be eight inches apart, and the plants thinned out to six inches in the drills. The plants thinned out may be set out in another place to grow. These will make the best heads. Transplant, when each stem shows five or six leaves, covering the stem to the lower leaf, in rows two feet apart each way. Do this with a trowel, in dull, damp weather, and shade, if necessary, until the plants are established. Protect from insects with snuff, &c., as directed for cabbage. Choose the same situation as for cauliflower, and follow the same mode of treatment throughout, especially the frequent hoeing and watering. Use and Mode of Cooking —See Cauliflower. Brassica Napo Brassica—TuRnNip CaBBaGE. Brassica Caulo Rapa—TuRNIP-ROOTED CABBAGE. These two species of brassica are little cultivated. The turnip cabbage grows above ground, pretty well up the stem, in a globular form, with a few leaves on top. ‘The purple-stemmed variety is best. Its culture is the same as the cabbage, except that in hoeing care must be taken not to throw dirt into the heart of the plant, or the bulb cannot form. They should be hoed flatly. Sow in April. The turnip-rooted cabbage is similar in quality to the above, but the bulbs grow near the origin of the stem. It does not succeed so well transplanted. It is cultivated exactly like the Ruta Baga turnip. ‘There are two vari- -eties, the white and the red. It is easily raised in any TURNIP. 179 soil, if well manured. More weight per acre can be ob- tained by these crops than by the turnip, and they are of equal value. Use.—Turnip cabbage, when the size of a large turnip, is an excellent vegetable. If cut into slices one-quarter of an inch thick, and boiled until very tender, it resem- bles the cauliflower in flavor. The thick skin being re- moved, it may be cooked like a turnip. When full grown, it is used for feeding stock. It will endure our winter without protection. Brassica Rapa—Turnip. This root was held in considerable estimation by the Romans. Cato is the first writer that mentions it. “Sow it,” says he, “after an autumnal shower, in a place that is well manured, or in a rich soil.” Columella recommends its cultivation, “ because that portion of the crop not wished for the table will be greedily eaten by the farm cattle.” It is a biennial plant, now cultivated in all temperate climes. It is now extensively raised as a field crop in England, for feeding stock, and is considerably raised for the same pur- pose in our northern States. Early White Dutch (strap-leaved)—A round, flat tur- nip, with short, narrow, strap-like leaves, is the earliest kind. Early R:d Top Dutch (strap-leaved), differs from the preceding only in the red color of the portion of the roots which is above ground. Both of these, in a moist, cool fall, are fit-for the table six weeks after sown. Yellow Dutch will stand any degree of frost uninjured, is fine flavored, and very nuiritious. It is of a yellow color, round, handsome shape, firm and sweet, and keeps well. I prefer it to the Swedes for winter use, and would select this, if confined to one kind, for the garden. White French resembles the Swedes, but not so smooth; 180 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. flesh white, aud exceedingly sweet and excellent; a fine keeper. Purple-topped Swede-—Foliage differs from the foregoing, being smooth and covered with glaucous blooms. It is hardy and very nutritious. The roots are very large, of an oval tapering form and unlike the foregoing ; the greater - their size, the sweeter and more nourishing they become. It keeps until spring. Skirving’s Improved Swede—This is of still better form than the foregoing, the leaves not so large, less smooth and free from bloom; flesh fine, yellow, and very nutritious. Skirving’s Swede. Common White. ROOT. LEAVES. ROOT. LEAVES. Potassa, . 12 *S8616 20.36 48.56 12.68, Boda, : 4.99 _ — —- Lime, : oy 4 136 amet] 6.73 28.78 Magnesia, : - 244 2.92 2.26 2.85 Sesquioxide of Iron, .28 1.90 .66 80 Sulphuric acid, . 11.26 6.50 12.86 7.83 Slee he. i crass Cealies 4.11 96 2.05 Carbonic acid, . 9.54 6.16 14.82 14.64 | Phosphoric acid, 12.51 6.54 7.65 3.15 Chloride of Potassium er | = 15.56 Chloride of Sodium, 9.77 17.69 0.44 10.67 99.94 99.94 99.94 98.96 Per-centage of Ash in the dry substance, § 7.30 11.30 7.40 15.20 Per-centage of Ash in 88 fresh substance, 1.61 59 1.82 The analyses here given are by Way and Ogston. They indicate that potash, lime, sulphuric, and phosphoric - acid may be applied to this crop with advantage. In practice, however, it is found that the most important ele- ment to be added is phosphate of lime. Hither bone dust, ‘TURNIP. 181 superphosphate of lime or guano, all rich in phosphoric acid, seems to supply everything this crop requires. Manured with these, it is soon beyond the reach of in- sects and casualities. A mixture of the two latter with the sulphate of ammonia, known as improved superphos- phate of lime, is probably the best of all manures for this crop. Culture—The turnip likes a rich sandy soil. If raised on ground manured by cow-penning, the crop rarely fails, as the urine deposited in the soil affords the phosphates so necessary for this crop, and in such places it is far less infested with insects. Soil fresh from the woods also suits them. ‘The seed from the north is three or four weeks earlier than that raised here, and should be chosen for the early crop; for the main crop our own seed is good enough if carefully raised. Sow early turnips in February, in drills one foot apart, in ground well dug and thoroughly manured. Draw the drills one inch deep. Keep the soil free from weeds. As soon as the plants get a little strong, thin out to two inches, and finally to six inches in the row. If the ground is not kept light and well worked, and the plants properly thinned, it is a mere waste of time and seed. The early white dutch from northern seed is the kind to be pre- ferred. They do much better in drills than broadcast. Yor fall turnips, sow the early white dutch, red top and yellow dutch any time in August and September, broadcast or better in drills, as directed above. If broadcast, thin them to about twelve inches apart or more. If sown just before a rain on the surface, the rain will bring them up at once. Soot, wood, ashes, and unslacked lime are all useful to promote growth and drive away insects. The red-top is an excellent variety for a general fall crop, and may be sown in October even with success. 182 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. The Ruta Baga or Improved Swede should be selected for a crop to stand the winter. Plant pure seed or none ; the middle or last of July or early in August, just before a shower if possible. Let the drills be two feet apart, and thin the plants by degrees until twelve or fifteen inches in the row. As soon as the plants appear, loosen the earth about them. It requires a richer soil than the other varieties. Any vacancies in the row can be filled by transplanting, which will make nearly as large roots as the others. Keep the soil light and mellow by the use of the hoe. Large crops can be tended with the plough and cultivator to great advantage. In good soil the yield is immense. T'he crop may be drawn as needed, some should be drawn before they begin to grow up to seed and stored in a cool place for date keeping. To save Seed—Select a few of the best roots, shorten the tap root and plant them two feet apart. Tie the stalks to stakes, keep them at a distance from all other members of the cabbage tribe. Ruta Baga will rarely make seed in this climate. Seed of the turnip should be changed every few years as the plant degenerates. It keeps three years. Use—This is one of those useful vegetables that can be enjoyed with everything. The tops gathered in winter and spring make very good greens. ‘The roots are whole- some, though they disagree with some stomachs. They are considerably nutricious also; four ounces of white dutch containing eighty-five grains of nutritive matter, and four ounces of Ruta Baga containing one hundred and ten grains of the same. Any over supply of this crop may be fed with great advantage to the cow or boiled for the pigs. : To Boil—Turnips are good vegetables with boiled or roasted meat. Wash, peel, slice, and boil until quite soft, then mash with a little butter, pepper and salt. ROQUETT—RAPE. 183 Brassica Eruca—RoQueETT. This is an annual plant from France, of which the leaves are used as a salad. Sow thinly in drills a foot apart in February and March. Water frequently if neces- sary, which will lessen the acrid taste of the young leaves gather young; not much cultivated. Brassica Napus Oleifera—RaPe. Rape is a biennial plant, a native of England, with glaucous radical leaves and yellow flowers, appearing early in Spring. Culture-—Sow at the same time with cresses and mus- tard in winter and spring. Sow in drills or beds and follow the culture directed for white mustard. Rape sown like turnips the first of September, will survive the frosts and afford an abundance of fine greens the latter part of winter and early in spring. Two or three plants sown in August and kept over, will flower and seed the next year abundantly. Use-—The seed leaves are gathered young for a small salad with cresses and mustard. Later it is used like mustard for winter greens. This plant is much cultivated in Europe to express the oil from its seeds. Brassica Napus Esculenta—Ev18LE-ROOTED RAPE, oR FRENCH TURNIP. This is sometimes cultivated as a substitute for the turnip. The roct is white, carrot-shaped, about the size of the middle finger. It is much grown in Germany and France. Culture—lIt is raised from seed which may be sown in August or September, and requires the same treatment as turnip. It likes a sandy soil, and if grown in too rich 184 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. earth it loses its sweetness. In dry weather, the beds must be watered regularly until the plants get three or four leaves. T'o save seed, see “ Turnip.” Use——It is much used in continental cookery, and en- riches all the French soups. Stewed in gravy, it forms an excellent dish, and being white and carrot-shaped, when mixed with those roots upon a dish, it is very or- namental. In using, there will be no necessity of cutting away the outer rind, in which the flavor chiefly resides. Scraping will be quite sufficient Calodium Esculentum*—TANYAH. This is a large-leaved, bulbous-rooted plant much culti- vated at the Sandwich Islands, and forms the principle in- gredient in the favorite poi, a food much in use there, and remarkable for its fattening properties. Culture—It may be planted in any rich, well-drained low spot. Select the eyes or buds, and plant like the potato. The small roots are the ones generally reserved for this purpose. ‘There are two distinct kinds named from their color the pink and the blue, of which the latter is thought by many to be the most farinaceous, but others prefer the taste of the pink variety. ‘The sets may be put out in March or early in April, and the most attention required is to keep the soil clean and mellow. The rows may be three or four feet apart, and the plants two feet in the rows. It comes to maturity the autumn after planting and may remain in the bed until wanted. It keeps better than either the sweet or Irish potato. It is prepared for the table by simple roasting, and eaten with salt. By many they are much liked, as they are quite farinaceous. * Colocasia Esculenta Lind? POT MARIGOLD—RAMPION, 185 Calendula Officinalis—PotT MariGoup An annual; native of France, Spain, and the South of Europe. Its bright yellow flowers give it a place in the flower-garden. A few plants only are needed by any family. There are two varieties, the single and double; the former of which is a little the highest flavored. Sow in autumn or early in spring on a good mellow soil in drills, one foot apart or broadcast; when the plants are up, thin them to twelve or fifteen inches apart, or transplant them that distance if you wish more plants. Water till estab- lished. The flowers, during the summer, must be gathered, dried thoroughly in the shade, and put up in paper bags. Leave a few fine flowers for seed. The darkest-colored ones are the best. The flower is a valuable ingredient in soups, and the leaves were formerly infused for agues. The plant is now but little used. Campanula Rapunculus—RamPIoNn. This is an English biennial plant, with a long white spindle-shaped root, lower leaves oval lanceolate, with a pannicle of blue bell-shaped flowers in June. It has a milky juice. Culture.—Sow the seed in April in a rich, shady border. It likes a moist, rich soil not too stiff. The seed must be very slightly covered, but the earth should be pressed upon it. As the plants grow, thin them to four inches apart, and pull them before they run to seed. To save seeds, allow some of the best plants to remain. Use—The root is eaten raw like a radish, and has a pleasant, nutty flavor. Cultivated only by those in search of variety. 186 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Capsicum Annuwm—PEPPER. Of this plant there are several species in cultivation, most of which are natives of tropical regions. It has been cultivated in England about a century. All of them are very pungent. The best varieties are :— Bell Pepper—Brought from India in 1750. Of low growth with large, bell-shaped fruit. Its thick and pulpy skin renders it the best for pickles. More mild than most of the varieties. Tomato Pepper—Named from its resemblance to the tomato in shape. More pungent than the preceding. Large Sweet is another variety much used for pickling, which I have not yet cultivated. It is said to be a good, mild variety. Cayenne or Long, with small, round, tapering fruit, an extremely pungent. Excelient for pepper sauce. Capsicum likes a rich, moist loam, rather light than otherwise. Guano and fowl manure are excellent fer- tilizers for peppers. For early plants, sow the seed in drills, one inch deep and six inches apart, under glass, in February, and trans- plant after the frosts are entirely over, when three or four inches high in good soil, in rows fifteen or eighteen inches apart each way. Sow also in the open ground as soon as the settled warm weather comes on, say the last of March or first of April, and thin them out to the proper distance. An ounce of seed will give two or three thousand plants. They should be transplanted in moist weather only, and must be watered until well-established. Shading a few days, at mid-day after transplanting, is very beneficial. Cultivate and earth up their stems a little. Seed—A plant bearing the earliest and finest fruit should be selected. The varieties should be grown as far ENDIVE. 187 apart as possible. When ripe the pods are hung up to ‘dry, and kept until the seed is wanting for sowing. Use—These plants are very much used in all hot climates, where they enter as a seasoning into almost every dish. The large kinds are used for pickling, and for this should be gathered when full grown just before turn- ing red. ‘They are also dried when ripe and used for seasoning. Cayenne and the other small kinds are ground for table use, or made into pepper sauce by the addition of strong vinegar. Peppers are often rubbed upon meat to drive away insects, and are also considerably used in medicine, especially by botanic practitioners. The daily use of this plant in hot climates is decidedly a preventive of bowel complaints, which renders its cultivation so uni- versal. Cichorium Endivia—ENDIVE. Endive is a hardy annual, a native of China and Japan; first cultivated in England in 1548. The root leaves are numerous, large, sinuate, toothed, and smooth. The stem rises about two feet high, producing blue flowers. It is considerably cultivated in Europe. VARIETIES.—The best varieties are: Green Curled—A fine, hardy variety, with ioscan 3 curled leaves. It is the best for salads. Bread-leaved or Batavian has thick, plain, or slightly wrinkled foliage. It is principally used for cooking, and making a larger head is preferred for stews and soups, but not much used for salads. Besides these varieties, there is another species, Cichorium Intybus, or Succory, a good deal used as a winter salad in Europe, but it is mainly cultivated for the root, which is dried and ground for the purpose of adulterating coffee, and some even think it quite as good. It is a hardy perennial, and 188 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. its blue flowers sometimes introduce it into the flower- garden. Culture—Endives delight in a light rich soil, dug deeply to admit its tap roots, and to serve as a drain for any superfluous moisture in the winter standing crop. The situation should be open and free from shade of trees. Sow the seed in August and September. Sow at this season if possible everything just before a shower—draw a furrow the depth of your hoe, in the bottom of which scatter your seed thinly, and cover slightly with earth, pressing it upon the seed. Plant in the evening, and water copiously with the fine rose of a water-pot in the drill; shade during the day, and continue watering in the even- ing until the plants get rooted. The drills should be twelve or fifteen inches apart. The Batavian likes most space ; hoe freely and keep the ground free from weeds; thin the plants when two inches high; those removed may be transplanted to another location ; choose moist weather for this purpose, trim the leaves a little and water moderately every evening, until the plants get established and during very long droughts. Those left in the seed bed make the best plants. In about three months after sowing, as they grow stocky and full in the heart, the leaves being about eight inches long, some should have their leaves tied up every week or fortnight to blanch, and render them tender and remove their bitter taste. Perform this in dry days. The curled sort will sometimes blanch pretty well if neatly earthed up without being tied, but it is better to tie it. The broad leaved from its loftier and looser growth needs a bandage. Fold the leaves round the heart as much as possible in their natural position, and tie them up with a string or shred of bass, then covering them entirely with sand in the form of a cone, rendering the surface smooth and firm. This HORSE RADISH. 189 must be done in dry, but not frosty weather, as the plants will rot if the leaves are wet or frozen. They may also be blanched under garden pots like sea-kale, or by merely tying them closely, winding the string several times round the plant and closing the top, so as to exclude the rain, drawing the earth around the base to support it. This is the best mode in hot weather; in autumn they will blanch in ten days, in winter they require nearly twice that time. Succory to blanch is taken up and planted in boxes of m@uld which are carried into a cellar or dark room and watered when necessary. The blanched leaves will be supplied all winter. For Seed—Let some of the best and most vigorous plants remain till February, and transplant if you wish to use the ground, in rows eighteen inches apart. Support the stems by stakes, and gather the seed vessels as they ripen. Dry them thoroughly on a cloth, thresh and preserve in paper bags. The seed will keep four years. Use.—Endive is cultivated for its stocky head of leaves, which after their bitterness is removed by blanching ; are used in autumn and winter for salads and stews. It is very wholesome, and boiled is thought to be a remedy for the jaundice. It possesses a good deal of the virtues of the dandelion ; it never disagrees with the stomach, but suits every constitution. ‘The French use it in a variety of forms, raw, stewed, boiled, pickled, but it is chiefly employed as a salad. Cochlearia Armoracia— HORSE RADISH. Horse-radish is a cruciferous perennial plant, growing naturally in moist places in England, and various other parts of Europe. The leaves are large, oblong, hollowed, and from some. fancied resemblance to a spoon Cochlear, 190 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. the botanical name, is derived. Its flowers are white, and appear in paniclesin May. It has long been an inhabitant of the garden. Culture-—Horse-radish delights in a deep rich mould, moderately and regularly moist—the roots are never of any size if grown in poor soil, or under shade of trees. It seldom produces seed, and hence is propagated by sets provided by cutting the roots and offsets into lengths of two inches. The tops and crowns of the roots make the best sets as they are earlier, and make a finer growth than those from the centre of the root. Each set should have two eyes. Horse-radish may be planted from November to March, inclusive. The finest crops are made by trenching the ground two feet deep, planting the cuttings along the bot- tom of the trench, and the mould from the next trench turned over upon them. They may also be inserted with a long blunt-pointed dibble the same depth; let the rows be eighteen inches apart, and the sets twelve inches in the row. After the beds are planted, smooth the surface and keep clear of weeds, and avoid treading upon the beds, as they should be kept as light as possible. If planted in March, a crop of radishes or lettuce may be taken off the ground before the plants make their appearance. They speedily root and send up long straight shoots, those appearing in April that were planted in autumn. The only cultivation is to keep them free from weeds, and remove the decayed leaves in autumn. Hoe and rake the bed over in autumn, and also the following spring. By the next fall, the roots are. ready to take up as wanted. Ifthe plants throw up suckers, they should be carefully removed as they appear. If any manure is applied to horse-radish, it must be put at the bottom of the trench before planting, or the plant SCURVY GRASS. 191 will send out side shoots in search of the manure, which would greatly injure the crop. ‘To take them up, a trench is dug along the outside row down to the bottom of the upright roots which are cut off nearly level with the original planting. The earth from the next row is turned over upon them to the desired depth, and so on until finished. The pieces of roots left will send up new shoots, and the same bed will produce well in this way five or six years, when the site of the planta- tion should be changed; when this is to be done every piece of root should be taken up, for the smallest of them will vegetate and prove troublesome if left. The best roots come from fresh plantations. Use.—Horse-radish scraped into shreds with vinegar, is a well known and desirable accompaniment to roast beef. It is also used in fish and other sauces and chicken salads, and is thought to assist digestion. The shreds pickled in strong vinegar and closely stopped in glass bottles will keep for years. MHorse-radish in medicine is a valuable stimulant—useful also in hoarseness, sometimes serviceable in rheumatism and is especially valuable in cases of in- cipient scurvy. Cochlearia Officinalisa—Scurvy GRass. A biennial plant, found near most sea-shores in temper- ate climates. Likes a soil similar to the preceding, and equally free from the shade of trees. It is propagated from seed sown as soon as ripe in May or June, for if kept long it does not germinate well. Sow in drills eight inches apart and one-half inch deep. When they come up thin them to eight inches apart, trans- planting those taken up, and giving water until estab- _ lished. Keep free from weeds, which is all the cultivation ae 192 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. needed. To save seed leave some of the plants in place, and gather and sow when ripe. Use-—The small leaves are used like cresses ; its great use medicinally is pointed out by its name. | Convolvulus Batatos, §c—SweET PorTato. This valuable plant, first cultivated in England in 1597, by Gerrard, is the potato mentioned by Shakspeare and his cofemporaries, the Irish potato being then scarcely known. ‘“ Let the sky rain potatoes,” says Falstaff, al- luding to this vegetable, which was at that time imported into England from Spain and the Canary Islands, and considered a great delicacy. The sweet potato is a pe- rennial plant, a native of China and both Indies. It has small leaves, with three to five lobes, according to the variety—with herbaceous vines which run along the ground, taking root.at intervals. Its roots are long, spin- dle-shaped or oval, often very large, and abounding in starch and sugar. Its nutritious properties and agreeable flavor have brought it into general use in all parts of the globe, where the climate is warm enough to admit of its successful cultivation. The following are the most com- mon varieties, and perhaps as good as any. Small Spanish.— Long, grows in clusters, purplish color, very productive, and of excellent quality. Brimstone.—Sulphur-colored, long, of large size, and productive; keeps well with us, and is one of the best sorts; very dry, and excellent. Red Bermuda—tIs of the Yam family; leaves many- lobed, and the best early potato—productive. Common Yam.—Leaves many-lobed ; root oblong and something globular, the best long-keeper, and very pro- ductive. Has something of the pumpkin flavor. SWEET POTATO. 193 Analysis.—One thousand pounds of the roots contain: Starch, A : s 5 : ; 184.23 Albumen, ; ; - Be G447 Coagulable Albumen, ; : ; 19.40 Casein, ; F . : 9.70 Sugar and Extract, - - : 53.49 _ Dextrine and Gant é : ; Oe Fiber, ; : ; . i ; 17.09 Gum Resin, by tints ? ; Sat 42:07 Water, : F 3 , . 641.72—989.10 Silicie Acid, i y ; ; , 0.24 Sulphuric Acid, 0.16 Phosphates of Lime and Magnesia, : , ere Lime, : ; .08 Magnesia, ; ; , ; F so) Saad Potash, . , ; : , ; 6.3 Soda, ; 3 : : : : 66 — Chlorine, : , ; é 2 54—10.90 1000.00 The above analysis was made by Prof. Emmons. Potash seems to be the element most necessary to supply the soil. A dressing of wood ashes would be very beneficial to this crop. Next to potash it demands asupply of the phos- phates. Culture—The sweet potato likes a rich, sandy loam, perfectly friable, and, as indicated by the analysis, abound- ing in potash. The soil should be well enriched. They do well on lands freshly reclaimed from the forests. The Spanish potatoes are generally planted where they are to remain like the Irish potato, whole or cut up into sets. But both these may, and the yams must be propa- gated by slips, as they grow larger and yield more abun- dantly. To raise slips select a sunny spot sheltered by fences or buildings, and lay it off in beds four feet wide, with 9 vt GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. alleys of the same width between them; slope the beds a little towards the sun, dig them well and add plenty of well-decomposed manure, if not already rich. Do this the last of February or early in March. Choose large, smooth, and healthy-looking potatoes, and lay them regularly over the bed an inch or two apart, and cover them about three or four inches with soil from the alleys; rake the beds smooth and itis done. In large operations, ten bushels of potatoes should be bedded for every acre of ground. While the slips are sprouting, prepare your ground to receive them. It should be rich, or made so with well- rotted manure, and thoroughly and deeply broken up with the plough or spade. Lay it off just before the slips are ready, which will begin to be about the 15th of April, in low horizontal ridges or beds, the crowns of which are three and a half feet asunder, and about six inches high, on which plant out the slips with a dibble, eighteen inches apart, one plant in a place. Choose for this operation such a day as you would for cabbage plants, or do it in the evening. ‘The sweet potato is readily transplanted, and if holes are dug in the mellow bed, deep enough to admit the plant, and the slips set upright therein, have the earth washed in about their roots by pouring water upon them from the open spout of a waterpot, finishing the operation by covering over with a coat of dry mellow earth, brought up and pressed pretty closely about the slips to keep the moistened earth from baking. Very few will die even if they are set out at mid-day; but as the plants would be checked, a cloudy day, or just at night should be selected for the operation. This is an excellent mode of transplanting all plants, and is of great use both in the vegetable and flower garden. If the slips are not washed in as above when taken up in dry weather, it is of great advantage to grout them, as well as all other plants - SWEET POTATO. 195 you wish to transplant. This is done by immersing the roots in water thickened with rich earth. It refreshes the slips, and gives them a thin coating of earth asa protection against the atmosphere. Draw the slips when about three or four inches high, by placing the left hand on the bed near the sprout to steady the root, and prevent its being pulled up with the sprout, which is loosened with the right hand, taking care not to disturb the fibrous roots of the mother potato, for this continues to afford a succession of slips which may be successfully transplanted until the Ist of July. After the piece is planted go over it again in a few days to plant over any place where the slips may have failed. As soon as the ground gets a little weedy, scrape it over, loosening the earth and covering up the weeds, but be careful not to injure the young slips. Faith- ful cultivation and frequent moving the soil are as benefi- cial to this crop as to any other. At one of the hoeings just before being laid by, the ground should be deeply moved with the plough or spade, but not too close to the plants. They should be laid by before the plants run a great deal, after which they should be undisturbed. Be - eareful not to cover the vines, but if they become attached to the soil, loosen them up from it, so that the vigor of the plants may be thrown into the roots and not into the run- ning vines. Make the hills large and broad, not pointed. In hoeing draw the vines carefully over towards you while you draw up the earth and cover the weeds; then lay them carefully back, and finish the other side in the same manner. At this time it is an excellent plan to fill the spaces between the rows with leaves and litter while the ground is wet, to retain the moisture. After the vines have covered the ground too much to use the hoe, any large weeds that appear should be pulled up by hand. The Yam Potato can also be raised from seed, but the 196 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Spanish variety, like the sugar cane and many other plants long propagated by division, rarely produces seed. Just as soon as the tops are killed by frost, the potatoes should be gathered. In field crops they can be ploughed up and gathered by hands which follow the plough, de- positing the potatoes in small heaps. but in the garden the potato can be gathered with the hoe or the potato hook, an implement much used in gathering crops of the Irish potato. Itis better to do this in a dry day, and many prefer to dig their potatoes just before the frost kills the vines thinking they keep better. Keeping potatoes is a rather difficult matter. The fol- lowing is Mr. Peabody’s plan: Let the small heaps dry during the day. In handling them, take care not to bruise or injure the skin. Put them up in hills, containing thirty or forty bushels each. Make a circular trench as large as the hill you wish to make. Elevate the earth surrounded by it about six inches, or sufficient to prevent the access of moisture. Cover this over with pine straw, and pile up the potatoes upon this in a regular cone. If the weather is good, cover them only with pine or other straw for two or three days, until the potatoes are well dried, before their final earthing up. Let the covering of straw be three or four inches thick; then cover it over with large strips of pine bark, commencing at the base, and cover as shing- ling unto the top, leaving a small aperture. Cover four or five inches thick with earth over all, except this aper- ture, which must be left open for the escape of the heat and moisture generated within. Some cover this opening with a piece of pine bark, to keep out the rain, but a board shelter is preferable. When the weather vets warm, in the spring, take up the pota- toes, rub off the sprouts, and keep on a dry floor. If put up with care, they will keep until July. One important SEA KALE. 197 step toward their certain preservation is to gather them carefully from the ground, as the least bruise produces rapid decay. For seed, some of the finest roots of the most productive hills can be packed in barrels, and covered with sand, in a dry, warm place, free from all exposure to frost. My own garden crop keeps perfectly well in barrels, with a layer of leaves at the bottom, then a layer of potatoes, then a layer of leaves, and so on until the cask is filled. Use dry leaves, and store in a dry place. Use-—This root is deservedly a favorite at the table, and the most wholesome grown. In nutritious properties, as we see by the analysis, it excels all other roots culti- vated in this country, except the carrot. Weight for weight, it contains more than double the quantity of starch, sugar, and other elements of nutrition, that are found in the best varieties of Irish potato. For feeding’ stock, three bushels are equal to one of Indian corn, yield- ing, on the same land, five or six times the food that is produced by this most profitable grain A good baked sweet potato is almost as nutritive as bread. ‘They are better baked than boiled. -They are also used for pies and puddings, and sweet potato rolls are excellent. In short, the modes of cooking this excellent vegetable are innumerable, but perhaps the very best is Marion’s mode of roasting in the hot ashes. Crambe Maratimu—SeEA KALE The sea kale is a perennial, a native of the dry, shingly shores of Great Britain. ‘The plant is smooth, of a beau- tiful glaucous hue, covered with a fine meal, and with large sinnated, radical leaves. The flower is of a rich white appearance, and a honeyed smell. It has probably been cultivated in gardens one hundred and fifty years, 198 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. but not very generally until the beginning of the present century, though the English peasantry have been in the habit of gathering the blanched shoots as they pushed through the sand, and boiling them as greens, from time immemorial. Wherever the climate will admit its cultivation, as all through our mountain region, if not in the low country, it will be found a very valuable addition to the scanty list of spring vegetables now upon our tables. It is partial to a cool climate. The following analysis of the ash of this plant is by Herapath. The per-centage of ash in the undried plant was 2.42, the constituents of which are in the following proportions : LEAVES. YOUNG SHOOTS. Carbonic acid, . : : 6.92 4,292 Sulphuric acid, . : 15.16... “Pies Phosphoric acid, . 2 trace 5.06 Potassa, 3 : ; 210 6.75 Soda, : : : 20.80: 23 a8 Chloride of sodium, y 12.54 trace Carbonate of lime, . Mite Me 2 ah LN? d 3.61 Carbonate of magnesia, trace _ trace. Sulphate of lime, . : ii trace Phosphate of lime, ‘ 1240), SOL Phosphate of magnesia, . trace trace Phosphate of iron, 1.58 trace Silica, ’ : : J 10 4,22 99.98 100.00 Common salt, bone-dust, and gypsum are pointed out by the analysis as beneficial special manures for sea kale. Cultwre—The native soil of sea kale is a deep sand, mingled with alluvial matter from the sea. It likes a deep mould, or sandy loam, and if poor, well putrified dung and half decayed leaves may be added. Upon the richness and proper preparation of the soil, not only the luxuriance SEAKALE, 199 but the continued existence of the plant depends. Com- mon salt applied dry, in autumn, at the rate of even thirty bushels per acre, or watering the plants with a brine made with four ounces of salt to the gallon, applied around the roots in summer, is a very beneficial application. The situation must be free from all shade of trees. Sea kale is propagated by seeds, or offsets, or cuttings of the root; but the best plants are raised from seed. Sow the seed in a well prepared soil, rich, or made so with well decomposed manure, and shaded by a fence, or building, from the mid- day sun. Draw the drills one foot apart, and scatter the seed thinly along the drills. The beds should be about four feet wide, for convenience. Put in the seed from October to the middle of March, but December and Janu- ary are the best months. Before inserting the seed, bruise the outer coat, but without injuring its vegetating power. By this practice, germination will be accelerated. The plants are very slow in appearing; never less than three weeks, often four or five months, and sometimes a full year. Water plentifully in dry weather, and keep tho seed-beds free from weeds during the season. ‘Thin the plants, as they appear, to an inch apart, and, as they grow strong, to two or three inches. The great difficulty in raising sea kale is in getting good, healthy, acclimated plants, to form the beds. The seed are difficult to vege- tate, and, after they do come up, apt to die off during the summer. In the autumn, when their leaves decay, clear themsaway and earth them up about the crowns with an inch or two of soil from the alleys, or leaf-mould from the woods, and cover over the whole bed, four inches deep, with long litter, and leave it to stand until the time of transplanting. If you have been successful in raising your plants, in the latter part of the February ensuing, prepare your per- 200 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. manent bed for those you wish to transplant. Those raised where they are to remain succeed best. Let the soil be light, and well enriched with good com- post manure. Leaf manure is better than hot-dung. Dig it up deeply and thoroughly, at least two feet deep, and lay it off in beds three feet wide, with alleys between two feet in width. Upon each of these beds plant two rows of plants eighteen inches apart and the same distance in the row. Take up the plants very carefully with the trowel, so as not to disturb the roots. If you plant cut- tings of old plants, put two in each place, to guard against failures. In all cases, be careful in transplanting that the roots are not broken or dried by exposure to the sun and air. During the dry, hot weather of summer the beds should be liberally watered, the first season after replant- ing, as upon their summer growth depends the next season’s crop. Keep the soil clean, and after the plants get well rooted, dig over the ground between the rows at least ten inches deep, making the soil as fine as possible, and after a few days dig in the same manner, on the out- side of each row, that the plants may not receive a check by having all their roots shortened at once. The coming autumn, the earthing-up must be a little increased ; give a coat of leaf mould or compost manure and over this a thick coat of leaves, which will bring the plants on early in the spring. The next spring remove the litter and dig in some of the manure into the alleys, and then if you blanch with pots, spread over theebeds about an inch deep of clean sand. The shoots may be blanched and a few cut for use but sparingly, as the plants must not be weakened. The better way is not to remove the covering of leaves until you have gathered what you desire. On a portion of the bedto produce early, the winter covering of compost and leaves must be yearly applied. SEA KALE, 201 Another portion must be left uncovered until the shoots begin to rise and then covered with eight or ten inches of sand for a later crop. Each spring give it a dressing of salt like asparagus. Each succeeding summer also, dig over the surface of the bed as before. Retain for each plant only four or five of the best suckers at regular dis- tances around the stem; suffer none of these to seed, if you would not greatly injure the next year’s growth. Sea Kale is worthless unless white and tender, and be- fore it is eatable requires to be blanched. This may be done by earthing-up the crowns eight or ten inches with sand, or light mould, or by retaining the coat of dry leaves put over the beds in autumn. This covering may remain until the cutting ceases in the spring, when all covering must bz remover? at even! ng’ or in cloudy weather. The shoovs will raise the covering ° when in a fit state for cutting. The courses of icaves should be from five to tweive inches thick, ‘accudine: £0 the age of the plants, and as “directed above, may remain. » on all winter. But a large flowér ict ‘with the hole in “the bottom stopped, and light at the edges” careful! Ye: ‘excluded by a coat of litter, is the best of all modes of blanching, when the plants get established. For Seed—aA plant that has not been blanched or cut from, must be allowed to run to seed in the spring. A single plant will produce an abundant supply. Use-—Sea Kale comes on early in March, when vege- tables are scarce, and affords a very wholesome and agreeable table luxury. The young shoots and leaf stalks, before unfolding, are boiled and dressed like aspar- agus, and are also employed in soups. To Boil—Tie the shoots in bundles and put into boiling water with a little salt; boil briskly twenty minutes and serve on toast with nice melted butter. g* 202 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Cucumis Satevws—CuCUMBER. This is a trailing annual, with rough heart-shaped leaves and yellow flowers, growing wild in the East Indies and in most warm climates. It is one of the earliest garden products mentioned in history and was cultivated from the ealiest times in Egypt. (Wambers xi.5.) It has always been a vegetable peculiarly grateful and refreshing to the inhabitants of warm climates. It was probably early brought into Europe from the East, as it was in high esteem among the Romans, who so well understood its culture, that it appeared on the tables of the wealthy in winter. In England, it was introduced as early as 1573. lols Vearveties.~-Theve: are many varieties, the best of which care s ais ae Yat HS ihe . early Short. White Prickiy. growing five or six inches loag with white -prickles, remaining green longer than >, most other varieties ; productive. _.¢ Early, ClustereTo,well. adapted to this climate, being very early, and ij siamed from the fruit growing in clus- ters. The fruit is generally about five inches long, very productive. Early Russian is a smaller and earlier variety of this. Long Green Prickly— Dark green color with black spines, grows about ten inches in length and bears abun- dantly ; excellent for pickles. Gherkin.—Cucums Anguria,a species with very small and prickly fruit and leaves much divided, or palmated; a great bearer, but used only for pickling. There are many other varieties, some of which grow two feet long, crisp and well flavored, but the foregoing are the best for family culture. The ash of cucumber has been analyzed by Richardson. CUCUMBER. 203 The per-centage of ash afforded by the plant in the un- dried state, is .63, the constituents of which are in the following proportions. Potassa, . ; : ; . : 47.42 Lime, . 4 : é : , J D681 Magnesia, : ‘ F : ’ 4,26 Sulphuric Acid, . ; : : an) S400 Silicic Acid, . : : : : oo eee Phosphoric Acid, ‘ ; k LP paa7 Phosphate of Iron, ; ; : -” 206 Chloride of Potassium, . é ; 4.19 Chloride of Sodium : : P . 9.06 ie! bg Ashes, Bone-dust and common salt are the special manures indicated by the analysis. Guano is the best manure. Culture—The culture of cucumbers in this fine climate is very easy. They will grow in almost any soil or situa- tion, provided it has a good supply of moisture, but it likes a light, fresh loam, and to be somewhat shaded during the heat of the day. The seed may be planted about the first of April, or as soon as it can be done with safety, as this plant is very tender and will not bear the least frost. If the ground be deeply trenched, the plant is much less susceptible to drought. After the ground is regularly dug, dig out holes fifteen inches deep and the same in diameter, six feet apart each way, and partly fill them with well decomposed manure. A little guano, or fowl manure, sprinkled in the bottom of the hills will be very beneficial. Do not use fresh manure or the the plants will die out. Cow manure and leaf mould are excellent. Cover over the manure with rich, mellow loam. Raise the hills a little above the surface, and form them saucer-shaped, two or three inches deep so as to retain the moisture, Put 204 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. eight or ten seeds in the hill, and when they get rough leaves pull up the poorest plants, and leave but three ina hill. Old seed is much better than new, as the plants will run less to vines and bear better. As soon as the vine gets rough leaves, nip off the extremities to make them branch out and they will fruit the sooner. ‘This is called stopping. Cucumbers are very subject in cool, dry seasons to attacks of insects, especially the striped bug and the cucumber flea. Dry wood ashes or air-slacked lime dusted thoroughly upon the plants when the dew is on, will generally repel them, and bring the plants forward. But warm rains will soon bring up the plants beyond the reach of the depredators. Cucumbers should not be planted very late in this climate, as those that form after the middle of August are pretty apt to be destroyed by the melon worm. ‘The best pickles are from the early planted vines. Cucumbers can be very much forwarded by planting them in boxes covered over with glass. Two seven-by-nine panes are large enough to cover a hill, and such hills will not be troubled by the bugs, and the seed can be put in four or five weeks earlier than otherwise. The seed can also be planted in large pots under a frame, or in a green- house, to be turned out, when the weather gets favorable, into the open air, and they will scarcely show they have been moved. Or they can be raised wholly without re- moval, in hot-beds made as directed in a former article. They do best to start them in pots placed in a small hot- bed, and to be transplanted when the leaves are two or three inches broad and they fill the pots, into new beds “of a larger size. They must have plenty of air, and be placed near the glass, or they will be drawn up. If they begin to grow long-legged, give them more air. The tem- perature of the seed-bed should range between 65° and / CUCUMBER, 905 85°. Always water the plants with tepid water, and do it about noon. Liquid manure, especially guano-water, is very beneficial. In planting in the bed for fruiting, do not break the ball of earth; take them out of the pots carefully at night, water gently, keep the sash down the next day, and shade at noon-day, to keep them from withering. It is necessary the beds should be shaded with a mat, during the middle of the day. when the sashes are kept down, until the plants get well established. Stopping in the hot-beds is still more important than in the open air. The temperature now must be be kept between 70° and 90°, by external coatings of fresh dung, if necessary. ‘The shoots must be trained regularly over the surface of the bed. Leave only two or three main branches to each plant, removing the others as they ap- pear. If the plants that have been stopped have extended their runners three joints without showing fruit, they must be stopped again. The vines should blossom in a month from the time of sowing. Impregnate the pistillate or female blossom (which may be known by its having fruit attached), by taking the staminate blossom and placing its centre within that of the pistillate blossom. ‘They may be gathered in about two weeks after impregnation. ‘Three plants are sufficient for one sash of the usual size. For Seed—Choose some of the finest fruit of each variety growing near the root. Do not raise the plants near other varieties, or the seed will mix and deteriorate. Let them remain until they turn yellow, and the footstalk withers ; cut them off and keep in the sun until they begin to decay ; then wash the seed from the pulp, and spread it out to dry. It will keep eight or ten years, and is even better when three or four years old, as the plants are less luxu- riant and more productive. Use-—Cucumbers are a very popular, but not very 206 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. wholesome vegetable. They are of a cold, watery nature, and beside are found to contain, in a small quantity, a chemical principle analogous to fwngin, the poisonous prin- ciple of mushrooms. Many persons of weak constitution cannot eat them without positive injury. They possess scarcely any nutritive properties, but their cooling nature renders them to most palates very agreeable. They are eaten raw, fried, stewed, and pickled. ‘The juice is said to be a cosmetic, and enters into the composition of many of the French pomades. Lo Keep Cucumbers——Cover the bottom of a cask or jar with salt; put on a layer of small cucumbers; then an- other layer of salt, and so on, until the vessel is full. Place a weight upon them to keep them pressed down. They will make their own brine, and keep any length of time. Ifthe weight is taken off, they will rise to the top, grow soft, and spoil, as they require to be excluded from the air. They should be freshened, by soaking in warm water, before the additions of vinegar and spices. Lo Dress Cucumbers Raw.—Pare freshly picked cucum- bers, and slice them into cold water; pour off the water, and season with salt, vinegar, and pepper. A little salad oil may be added. Some add a small quantity of sliced onion, to impart the onion flavor to the vinegar. To Pickle Cucumbers—Upon freshly picked cucumbers pour a hot, strong brine of salt and water, and let them stand in the brine two days; then take them out, rinse in cold water, and let them drain three or four hours; then boil a sufficient quantity of the best cider vinegar, with a bit of alum, together with mustard, allspice, cloves, and black pepper. Pour this mixture, boiling hot upon them, cover them closely, and set away for use. Green Cayenne peppers and onions may be used for seasoning, if liked. e MELON. 207 Cucumis Melo—MELON. The melon, or musk melon, is supposed to be a native of Persia, but has been cultivated in all warm climates so long, that it is difficult to assign, with certainty, its native country. It has been cultivated in Southern Europe at least four hundred years. It is the richest and most deli- cious of all herbaceous fruits. In England its culture is a difficult and expensive process, but in this country the most luscious melons are raised almost without trouble. There are three classes of melons, the green fleshed, yellow fleshed, and Persian melon. There are also several varieties of winter melon cultivated in Spain, which are said to be of good flavor, and in a dry room will keep all winter. In all, there are over seventy varieties, the best of which are: Christiana—This variety originated near Boston, from a cross between the green Malta and some early variety. Mr. Harwellstates: “It is very fine at Mobile; ten days earlier than any other variety, and of the finest flavor.”’ Beechwood —A green-fieshed melon, one of the best and most productive of its class; ripens quite early, about twelve days after the Christiana. Fruit medium size, oval, netted ; skin, greenish yellow; flesh, pale green, rich, melt- ing, and very sugary. If I had but one variety, should choose this. Hoosainee —A Persian melon. Fruit oblong, egg-shaped, of good size; skin, light green, netted; flesh, pale greenish white, tender, and abounding with sugary, highly per- fumed juice; seeds large. Sweet Ispahan.—F ruit, large oval; skin, nearly smooth, of a deep sulphur color; flesh, greenish white, crisp, thick, rich, and sugary. Ripens late. The most delicious of all melons. 208 GARDENING FOR THE SOU@H. Pine-Apple, Cassabar, Netted Citron, and Rock, are also fine varieties. The melon has been analyzed by J. H. Salisbury. He found the per centage of water, dry matter, and ash, as follows : Per-centage of water, . : . .90.987 sled “ dry matter, : 9.013 0 A a “ ash, : : : 271 ‘6 ‘ {t* . dnudry amatter, 3.007 The ash was found to be constituted as follows: Carbonic Acid. ; : : > {Lia Silicie Acid, f : , A 2.20 Phosphoric Acid, . ; ; ee Sulphuric Acid, . : : , 3.90 Phosphate of oe ‘ 5 ; » 3 B36 Lime, . : F : 5.85 Magnesia, Z ; : : ; .60 Coen, : ; : 4 s 8.35 Soda, ‘ : ; : ; , > oon Chlorine, . ‘ ; 3 : 5.20 Organic matter, . j : a 99.70 The analysis shows that superphosphate of lime, or bone-dust, to supply the phosphoric acid, and common salt, to furnish the soda and chlorine, are the special manures most likely to be required. Ashes, guano, and all kinds of animal matter, will also increase its growth and pro- ductiveness. Culture—The melon likes a rich, sandy soil, well ma- nured, and deeply dug. If the soil is clay, it should be cor- rected by the addition of charcoal-dust, sand, or leaf-mould fromthe woods. 'The most luscious melons are grown on new land, fresh from the woods. They like, also, soil manured by cowpenning. In selecting seed, get the.oldest you can, © ee MELON. 209 and take great care to get that which is perfectly pure, for the seed of melons raised in proximity to gourds, cucum- bers, pumpkins, &c., will produce new varieties, destitute of favor. All plants of this family are exceedingly liable to intermix, to their great detriment. They will deterio- rate, if planted within one hundred feet of each other. Plant in the open ground as soon as the frosts are well over here, the 1st of April and through the month; but in the low country the seed should be put in the ground in March. Make the hills six feet apart each way; dig a hole for them a foot deep and two feet across, and fillit half full with good well-rotted manure. Upon this throw six inches of good soil, and mix well together. Finish out with light sandy loam, or if a stiff soil, mingle in charcoal dust to cor- rect its tenacity, so as to bring the hill just above the sur- face. Make the hill dishing, as for theecucumber. To guard against accident, plant about ten seeds in the hill, and cover an inch deep. The cucumber bug may be driven off if troublesome, as directed for cucumber. . : : 3 : : Daa Lime, A F ; : : aie Magnesia, ; : : ; : 4.14 Sulphuric Acid, : : 3 . as Silicie Acid, . ‘ . : ' 7.02 Phosphoric Acid, : ; . 36.23 Phosphate of Iron, : : : 4.74 Chloride of Sodium, . : : + ONS 100.00 Potash and phosphoric acid are the most abundant con- stituents, indicating the application of ashes and bone-dust as the best special manures. Propagation and Cultwre-— ) ii Phosphoric Acid, : : ‘ . “Oe Chloride of Sodium, ; , eee 99.99 The analysis would seem to indicate the application of wood ashes and common salt as the most important requi- sites for this crop, besides animal manure. Cultwre.—In raising good lettuce there are three things necessary, good seed, good soil, and frequent hoeing, and of these the first is perhaps the most important. ‘There is generally no difficulty in making lettuce seed vegetate, but if it is not made from good heads it will not produce heads even with the best culture. Lettuce likes a good LETTUCE. 233 mellow soil enriched with well rotted manure. Do not think of getting good heads on poor ground. Few of the Oos lettuces, except the white Cos and Paris, do well here, and fine cabbage lettuce is less trouble to raise, and good enough for any table. Lettuce may be sown in October and November, and again from January to April. That sown in the fall, except the Cos varieties, will come on earlier, but is not so good as the heads from the spring sowing. Sow thinly in drills eight inches apart. An ounce _ of seed will produce about ten thousand plants. Let the seed be very lightly covered, and if dry weather, press the earth upon it by walking over it on a board, or patting it with the back of the spade. Beds about four feet wide are most convenient. Ifthe lettuce comes up too thickly in the drills it must be thinned, as the plants begin to crowd, to two inches apart. Transplant into the ground, where it is to remain when the plants show four leaves. The Early Cabbage may be planted nine inches apart each way; but the other varieties will not do with less than a foot. The soil into which they are to be removed to head must be rich, light, and mellow. Transplant in moist weather with a trowel, disturbing the roots as little as possible. Water the plants until established. Rabbits are very fond of let- tuce, but can be kept off by dusting the young plants with ashes. After the young plants get established, give them deep and frequent hoeings; and if you sowed good seed there can be but little danger of your not being rewarded with beautiful crisp heads. The October sowing should be of the Butter and Brown Dutch and Cos varieties. This will yield small salad in mild weather through the winter, besides plants for early heads. A second sowing of these should be madein February. The later kinds may be’put in as late as April with success. If no lettuce has been sown in October or November, for heading early in the 234 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. spring, a little should be sown in January in a cold frame under glass. Give it plenty of air, but keep it covered nights and cold days, and as the weather grows mild leave off the glass altogether a little while before setting out in ‘the open air. The early sown Butter lettuce may also be transplanted under glass at nine inches apart, and the table be kept supplied in this way with fresh heads all winter. Plenty of air must be given them, and they should be covered in freezing weather only. Hoe deep and often. For a fall heading, a crop can be sown in August at the same time with turnips in a shady situation, which being transplanted, will give good heads in November and Decem- ber. The fall and summer sowings do much better if thinned to a suitable distance, and allowed to head where they stand, as lettuce plants are very impatient of trans- planting in hot weather. The Butter and the Brown Dutch are the best for this sowing. Seed.—Some of the finest and most sos i heads of the early sown crops should be selected. Unless from a.good head the seed cannot be depended upon. Each variety must be kept separate, and all imperfect heading plants near them destroyed. ‘Tie them to stakes and gather the branches as fast as they ripen. Dry the seed in the shade, and thresh and store in paper bags. Lettuce seed cannot be relied upon when more than two years old. Use.—Lettuce is the most popular of all salads, and it is also sometimes used in soups. Boiled, it is quite equal to spinach. It is fit to boil from the time it is large enough until the seed_stalk begins to shoot up. Its juice contains a narcotic principle somewhat like opium, which is in small proportions when young, but increases with the ago of the plant. This principle has not the constipating effects of opium. A tea prepared of lettuce leaves is bene- ficial in cases of diarrhcea, For a common salad, let the CRESS—BASIL. 235 leaves be carefully picked early in the morning, washed and drained before sent to the table, and provide salt, oil, sugar, and vinegar, that each person may season to his taste. The finer salads require hard-boiled eggs, mustard, and other spices, &c. Lepidum Sativum—CRrEss. Cress, or “ Peppergrass,” as the best variety has been named. from its pungent flavor, has been cultivated in Eng- land since 1548, being probably a native of Persia or Cyprus. Cultwre-—Cress likes a light, moist mould, and in sum- mer a shady border is to be preferred. It is propagated from seed which, to keep up a succession of young and tender plants, must be sown every week or two. Give it rich earth that it may grow rapidly. It is best when an inch high, but is generally allowed to get two or three before cropping. Begin to sow in February, in the open ground, in drills six or eight inches apart; cover lightly, and pat over the bed with the back of the spade to press the earth upon the seed. Keep the ground clear, and water in dry weather. It can be had all winter by the use of the cold frame or hot bed, and in the latter case can be grown fit for use in forty-eight hours; give plenty of air. A few rows left uncut will produce seed abundantly. Use-——The young and tender leaves give to salads a warm, pungent, and agreeable taste. It is generally used in connection with lettuce and other salads. Ocymum—BasIL. Ocymum Basilicwm, Sweet Basil, and Ocymum Minimum, Bush Basil, are the names of the two species in cultivation. Both are annuals and natives of the East Indies, with small leaves andSmall white flowers. Sweet basil is the 236 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. species most cultivated, and was introduced into England in 1548. Culture—Basil likes a rich, light soil, free from shade. The plants may be started early in March, under glass, and transplanted when of sufficient size where they are to remain. Basil is rather difficult to transplant, but can be carefully lifted in tufts with the balls of earth attached, in a moist time,with complete success; give water until established. They can also be sown on the borders where * they are to remain, but if sown too early in the open air, the seed is apt to rot or the young plants to be killed by frost asthey are rather tender. April is the month for sowing in the open ground. Do not cover the seed deeply, but press the earth upon it. Make the rows ten inches apart, and thin the Sweet basil to ten inches and the Bush to five inches in the row. Weeds must be kept under and the soil mellow by frequent hoeing. “Basil also makes a very pretty edging. It should be cut not too closely just as it comes into flower and hung up in small bundles in the shade to dry for winter use; thus cut it will soon grow up again. When thoroughly dried it may be pounded fine and kept any length of time in closely stopped bottles. . Seed —Let some of the finest plants remain uncut and gather the seed as they ripen. Use-—The leaves and small tops are the parts employea and give a delightful flavor in cookery. ‘They have a strong flavor of cloves, and are much used in soups and sauces, and other high seasoned dishes. They are much employed in French cookery. A small sprig of basil, on account of its odor, is an agree- able addition to a bouquet of flowers. It is the most agreeable of the pot herbs and the most useful after parsley and sage. MARJORUM— PARSNIP. 237 Origanum—MARJORAM. The name Origanum in Greek signifies delight of the mountain, and this plant is thus named from its growing in dry, elevated situations. Four species of this plant are cultivated, of which two are sufficient for the garden. These are Origanum Marjoram—Sweet marjoram, a hardy annual or biennial plant, a native of Portugal, and introduced into English gardens in 1573. It has small, acute leaves, and it flowers in small, close heads. Origanum Heracleoticwum—Winter marjoram, a hardy perennial, a native of Greece, and first cultivated in Eng- land in 1640. Leaves like the preceding, but flowers in spikes. Culture-——Marjoram likes a dry, tolerably rich soil, and free from shade. Sweet marjoram is propagated from seed; the other, by seed or by dividing the roots in the spring and fall. The plants must be watered until estab- lished. Plants of Sweet marjoram should be six inches apart; while twelve is not too much for the other variety. Sow from February to April. As the seeds of the marjo- ram are very small, the ground must be prepared very finely, and a very light mark made for them, covering them by drawing over them the back of the rake. The culture is like basil, which see. 'To preserve the tops for winter use, and to save seed, also see “ Basil.’ Use.—Both species are aromatics of sweet flavor, much used in soups, broths, stuffings, &. ‘The young and ten- der leaves are used while green, and the tops dried for winter use. Pastinaca Sativa—PARSNIP. This is a biennial, a native of Sardinia and various parts of Europe. It has long been an inmate of the garden. In 238 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. its wild state, it is said to have poisonous properties; but it is rendered by cultivation sweet, palatable, and very nutritious for man and beast. The garden parsnips have smooth and light-green leaves, while those of the wild va- riety are dark-green and hairy ; but the two do not differ -so much asthe wild and cultivated carrot. This plant is of the hardiest nature, being improved by remaining in the ground exposed to frost during the winter... The best va- riety for the garden is the Hollow-crown or Sugar parsnip. Its roots are smoother, more handsome, and better flavored than the other varieties. It is distinguished by the cavity or cup which crowns the root. The ash of parsnips has been analyzed by Richardson, and found to be constituted as follows : Potassa, . 3 ? ‘ : : B68 Soda, . : Be : ‘ Soe i | Lime, 4 5 - ° A ‘te 11.43 Magnesia, . : : 9.94 Sesquioxide of Manganese, : .89 Sulphuric Acid, . ! : 6.50 Silicic Acid, . : ; . yes Phosphoric Acid, : , f 18.66 Phosphate of Iron, . - . ee Chloride of Sodium : d 5.54 100.00 Potash and phosphoric acid are the elements most likely to be wanting in the soil,in sufficient quantity for this crop. Bone-dust and wood-ashes will be the best ad- dition which can be made. Parsnips like a rich, sandy loam, the more deeply dug the better. They do exceedingly well on rich bottom lands, but do not succeed wellin stiff clays. ‘The manure should be applied to a previous crop. If the soil be dug two * spades deep, or trench-plowed, it will improve the*crop. PARSNIP. 939 Parsnip seed can be sown in January, February, and March, in drills fourteen inches apart: scatter the seeds thinly in the drills, and also sow radish seed thinly as di- rected for carrots, to mark out the rows, as the seed is slow in vegetating. If you do not need the radishes, cut off the tops, and leave them to decay in the soil which’ they will enrich. Pulling out the radishes lets in the air and fertilizing gases to the roots of the young parsnips, and the radishes are quite fit to pull by the time the parsnips are well up. As they mark out the rows the beds can be hoed before they get full of weeds. If sown alone the beds are full of weeds before the parsnips are ready to hoe, and the labor of culture is much increased» Thin out the plants gradually to three, then to eight inches. Let- tuce and cabbage seed may be sown in drills between the rows of parsnips to be transplanted early. Parsnip seed may also be planted in the fall; but there is no advantage init. The details of the culture of parsnip are exactly like carrot, which see. The roots need not be pulled until needed for use. , For Seed—A few of the best roots may remain where grown. Keep free from weeds and they will yield abund- antly. ‘They may also be taken up and set out two feet apart in a border; but they do better to remain undis- turbed. The seeds cannot be depended on for more than one year. Use.—The parsnip is a very wholesome and nourishing root, though its peculiar sweetish taste is disliked by many persons. It is however a very agreeable addition to our supply of winter vegetables. Its fattening properties are great, and it is therefure an excellent root for feeding all kinds of farm stock. Cows fed upon it will yield milk abundantly, and butter of the best quality. Its seeds are sometimes employed in intermittents. 240 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. To Boil—Parsnips are cooked as carrots, but they do not require so much boiling. They are often served up differently, being mashed with some butter, a little cream, and seasoned with pepper and salt. Phaseolus Vulgaris—BUSH-BEANS OR SNAPS, An annual, a native of India, brought to England in 1597. ‘The running beans belong to a different species, and are treated of in a separate article. Bush-beans are generally called snaps from their breaking crisply. ‘The following are good varieties :— Hurly Mohawk—Pods long, beans large oval with dark- colored specks; it bears very well is the earliest variety, and is least injured by frost. In good seasons, fit for the table about five weeks after sowing. Early Valentine.-—Pods round, and continue crisp longer than most other varieties. ‘The beans are pink-speckled on a salmon ground; bears well. Sown with Early Mohawk, is about five days later. Late Valentine—Pods similar to the foregoing, equally erisp and tender, color dark brown speckled; a better bearer and grows more thrifty than the foregoing. One of the best sorts. About ten days later than the Mohawk. Royal Kidney—Pods long, beans finely flavored, white, and large, but later than any of the other varieties. ‘Sown at the same time, is a fortnight later than the Mohawk. Of this variety the ripe beans, if they are gathered and dried in an oven to prevent their destruction by the bug, are excellent for winter use. Besides the abovenamed, I have tried Turtle Soup, Yellow six weeks, and several other varieties, but the foregoing are the best. Here follows an analysis of the ash of kidney beans made by Richardson :— ; KIDNEY BEANS. 241 Potassa,;> .. 2 . 4 5 - 36:83 Soda, . : : ’ E , 18.40 Lime, : ? : ; : MIR AE Magnesia, . : : : ii 58 Sulphuric Acid, . : I FSOG Silicie Acid, . Waar ; i 4.09 Phosphoric Acid, ; : P sy $4.60 Phosphate of Iron, ; 5.24 Chloride of Sodium, . : : ee eeO 100.00 Wood-ashes and bone-dust or superphosphate of lime, will supply the soil with the most necessary elements for this crop, which, by the way, like most legumes, draws most of its sustenance from the atmosphere. Culture-—Snap-beans are of the easiest culture in this climate, and are less particular about soil than in colder latitudes. ‘The soil for the early crop should be dry and light; if wet or tenacious the seed often decays without germinating or comes up spindling and unproductive. For the summer-sown crop, a soil slightly moist but still in- clining to a sand, is to be preferred. “As beans are very tender and easily destroyed by frost, there is no use to put them in the ground too early. A few may be planted in March, but about the first of April is the proper time for the first large planting. They may be planted for a succession in moist weather from this time to the last of August. Plant in drills eighteen inches or two feet a part, and the seed two inches apart in the row. Cover the seeds about an inch and a half deep. A pint of seed will plant about one hundred and twenty five feet of rows. When the plants come up, thin them gradually to six or eight inches in the row and they will be much more vigor- ous and productive. The Refugee or Late Valentine does best in hills eighteen inches apart. Plant four or five 11 242 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. beans to a hill. Keep them clean always and the soil light and mellow with the hoe. Draw the earth carefully about their stems when about to flower, making broad low hills to protect the roots from heat and drought. If well cultivated the same plants will continue to bear well a long time. Do not hoe any of the kidney beans whether dwarf or runners when the foliage is wet, as the plants will rust and be greatly injured, if not destroyed. Choose dry weather for working them. For saving seed and use, see “ Lima Bean.” Phaseolus Limensis et Mulliflorus—PoLe or RUNNING BEANS. The Phaseolus Multjflorus includes the Scarlet Runners, London Horticultural, and many other good varieties, but they do not continue long enough in bearing to warrant their culture in a hot climate. The Lima beans are also much better flavored. Of the Phaseolus Limensis, there are the green and white Lima and Carolina Sewee. They are natives of South America. The white Lima is not quite so large as’ the green, but bearing with greater abundance, is to be preferred. It is also not quite so hardy and productive as the Sewee, but is much larger and richer flavored. Sewee or Carolina—This is the well-known and favor- ite butter bean of the country. It closely resembles the Lima bean, but is less in size, earlier, harder, and bears much more abundantly, and though not quite so rich, is for general culture the best running bean for this climate. Culture—Lima beans require a rich, strong soil, and will thrive on heavy loams, where the other running beans and snaps would not flourish. They are still more tender than snaps, and should not be planted until settled warm weather, as the seed will rot in cool weather, and the LIMA BEANS. 943 slightest frost will destroy them if they chance to vege- tate. The tenth of April is early enough in this climate. Plant in hills five feet apart each way, around a good pole eight or ten feet high, driven two feet into the earth. If the poles are too high they are late in coming into bearing and out of reach in gathering. In planting the Lima and, other beans, place the eye downward and the narrow end the lowest as the bean always rises from the ground in that position, and if not planted right it has to turn itself over in the soil, and if prevented by any obstruction from turning over it is sure to rot inthe ground. Planted in this way, they come up sooner, better, and more evenly. Cover about an inch anda half deep. Put four or five beans around each pole, and when well up take out the weakest, leaving but three plants. A quart of butter- beans will plant about four hundred hills. The subse- quent culture consists in keeping the ground frequently hoed when the vines are dry. They will continue in bearing until cut off by the hard frosts. For~ Seed—Gather both the Lima and Kidney beans when ripe and dry them thoroughly. The seed should be kept pure by planting the varieties at a distance from each other. As they are certain to be devoured by bugs, if saved in paper bags, put them up in glass bottles or earthen jugs well corked. Into each one pour before corking, a teaspoonful of spirits of turpentine. ‘The tur- pentine odor will destroy the bugs without injuring the vitality of the bean, if the vessel is tightly corked. Use—The tender fleshy pods of snap-beans are a favor- ite summer vegetable, very delicate, wholesome, and moderately nutritive. They are boiled and also pickled, and may be preserved for winter use, by cutting them into pieces and laying them down in salt. They will make their own brine, and must be kept covered by it or 244 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. they will spoil. Cook them in two waters to extract the saltness. ‘The Lima beans and the snaps when full grown, are shelled and afford in proportion to their weight, more nutrition than most other vegetables. Wheat contains but 74 per cent. of nutritive matter, while kidney beans contain 84 per cent. They abound in the constituents that produce muscle and fat, and will supply better than most vegetables, the place of animal food. They can also be preserved for winter use. Gather them in their green » state when full grown, and dry them carefully in the sun. They are better gathered in this state than if delayed until ripe, and are also free from bugs. They must be soaked over night before being boiled. They can also be laid down with layers of salt like snap beans. They are very good gathered when ripe, and dried carefully in an oven in order to keep them free from insects. To Pickle—Beans may be pickled in a manner similar to cucumbers. To Boil Snap-beans—Cut off the ends, strip off the strings, put in boiling water with salt and boil till tender. Do not omit the salt in cooking vegetables; add butter - and pepper to the taste. To Bou Lima Beans—Put them into just enough boil- ing water to cover them, boil until tender, turn off almost all the water ; season with butter salt and pepper. To Bake—Take two quarts of beans and three pounds of pickled pork. Pick the beans over carefully, wash and turn them about with a gallon of soft water to a pot. Let them soak in it luke-warm over night; set them in the morning where they will boil till the skin is tender and about to break, adding a teaspoonful of saleratus. Take them up dry, put them in your dish. Gash the pork and put it down in the dish so as to have the beans cover all but the upper surface; turn in cold water till the top is PEA. 945 just covered ; bake, and let the beans remain in the oven all night. Pisum Sativum—ENGLISH PEA. The Pea is a hardy annual, probably a native of the South of Europe, China, and Japan, but has been cultiva- ted from time immemorial. It is a climbing plant, pro- ducing its seeds in legumes or pods which usually grow in pairs. The pea is now one of the most desirable culi- nary plants. Numerous varieties have been originated differing in the color of the blossoms, height, and time of ripening, and also in productiveness. Of these, four or five kinds are sufficient for any garden. Among the best are : : Prince Albert—The earliest pea known, grows two and a half feet high. Pods and peas are both small. but well flavored. . 4,595 A 2657 8) ee Phosphates; 4. -..084/788) 2) 784708) oie LE Oe eee arene se: ©: onan Ae ee Semme PR Meher i BIO ae ie eg Potash, .°.- 7: 6.040 . "5.865 a5 ee Poda, 2 Te R607" °° BT 01s ee. See Sodan) 606 eM AGE! 4S ST eae Chlorine,. . pS oo SES Sulphurie Acid, wOOOF 4. 1s D868 o): yee Organie matter een down it S494... Siio00.:! 3) eee Nitrate of Silver, 100.000 100.000 100.000 Rhubarb is remarkabie for the quantity of phosphates and soda it extracts from the earth. Crude soda might be added to the soil. Guano and bone-dust are very bene- ficial. ; Culture—My first experience in raising rhubarb in this — climate was not very fortunate. A friend, to whom I am indebted for many really valuable plants, but unacquainted with this, hearing that I had sent for the seed, kindly — offered me several roots which had been given to him for — RHUBARB. 255 rhubarb, then growing in his grounds, as his family did not like the plant. In consequence, I transplanted a dozen roots in my garden. ‘The leaves were too small to agree with my notion of rhubarb; but beimg winter, I supposed it a different variety from the one I had before seen. In the spring, when the plant sent up its leaves, it proved to be nothing in the world but Patience Dock. The seed sent for,came on in season from Mr. Buist,and was planted early in March. It came up finely, and proved to be the genuine rhubarb. It was planted on the north side of a fence, in a rich, moist soil, and grew finely in the early part of the summer, but died out entirely in July and Au- gust, which it is apt to do without great care in shad- ing in ordinary seasons. The next autumn I procured from Mr. Buist half a dozen roots cf his early and Myatt’s Victoria rhubarb, and after subdividing them, planted them in a very deep, moist soil, on the north side of a fence. They have grown vigorously the last summer, and we were tempted to try them for a rhubarb tart, but did not disturb them for fear of injuring the roots. The crowns, now December, 1852, appear very healthy and filled with good buds. I have but little doubt that in their present situation the plants will do well. The soil best adapted for rhubarb isa light loam, rich and moderately moist. It should be trenched two spades deep. In this climate, it will scarcely endure the meridian sun, but should be sheltered by fences and buildings; not by trees. It is difficult to raise the roots here from seed. They can easier be imported. Set out thirty inches apart. Cover them in the fall about two inches deep, with well- rotted manure, which dig in the spring. Hoe them often, and give a good watering occasionally in dry weather. Rhubarb, to be good, must be quickly grown. This plant is forced at the north in a cask which is put over it 256 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. and covered all around with hot dung; but in this climate it would endanger the life of the plantas Do not let the plants run up to seed. Every six or eight years the old soil should be removed from the roots, and its place sup- plied with fresh loam; or the plants themselves removed to a new site. A dozen plants will be sufficient for most fainilies.* Use—The leaf-stem of this plant, when the external skin is removed, is cut up in thin slices, and having an agreeable acid, is used exactly like the apple for pies, tarts, and sauce, at a time that other fruits cannot be obtained. Gather them while young, just as they attain their full size, before they lose their fine flavor. They can be gently slipped from the root without using a knife. All medical writers state that this is a wholesome vegetable, and it is certainly an agreeable luxury. When the roots are old, they possess the properties of Turkey rhubarb, but in a less degree. Buist states that the stems of the varieties used in cooking, if stewed with sugar, and eaten with bread, are an infallible remedy for dysentery in children. Rumex Acetosa—SorreEL, A perennial plant of remarkable unity: growing wild in various parts of the world, and indicative of a sour, bar- ren soil. The garden varieties are natives of Italy and the south of France. ‘The French sorrel has broad leaves, and is the most pleasant flavored. Sorrel will grow in ** Many of my roots died in 1853 and ’54; but those which were left produced abundantly, continuing in use about three months in the early part of the season. I have now on trenched ground, two spades deep, this year (1855) my whole stock. The exposure is open, and they seem to prefer it to the partial shade I deemed desi- rable when the foregoing article was written. SAVORY. 257 any light, moist soil. It is propagated by seed or dividing the roots. Sow the last of February, in shallow drills ten inches apart, and as they come up, thin them to ten inches in the row; or part the roots in the autumn and spring, and set them out at the same distance. Water them oc- casionally until well established. Keep the plants free from weeds; cut down the stalks occasionally in the sum- mer, and cover the crowns with a very little fresh earth that they may send up large and tender leaves. When, in two or three years, the plants begin to dwindle, replant them in a fresh soil. For seed, let some of the stalks run up and gather when ripe. se—Sorrel is much used by the French in soups, sauces, and salads, and also cooked as spinach, and when cooked in this way with turnip tops is thought to improve their flavor. Some use the leaves in pies as a substitute for rhubarb. Sorrel is refrigerant, antiseptic, and a sover- eign remedy for the scurvy. Satureja—Savory. There are two species in cultivation; the Summer savory, Satureja hortensis, a hardy annual; and Winter savory, Satureja montana,a shrubbly perennial—both natives of Italy, and cultivated for their warm aromatic tastes. Both may be propagated by seed. Sow in March, moderately thick in small drills nine inches ‘apart, and rake in lightly. The soil need be but moderately rich. The plants may remain to be thinned to six inches apart for summer savory or the thinnings may be transplanted to the same distance. Winter savory requires more room, the plants should be afoot apart. ‘This can be propagated also by slips, cuttings, or division of the roots. All the care required is to keep free from weeds. Seed can be 258 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. gathered as it ripens from a root or two left uncut for the purpose. Use—The leaves of these herbs are much employed in soups, salads, stuflings, &c., on account of their agreeable pungent flavor. They are also said to possess the desira- ble power of “ expelling fleas from a bed.” Formerly, they were much used in medicine. Gather when they come into bloom and dry for winter use in the shade, pound in a mortar, pass through a sieve, and put up in bottles closely stopped and they will retain their fragrance any length of time. | Scandix Cerefoliwm—CHERVIL. An annual plant, a native of Southern Murope, with finely divided leaves somewhat resembling parsley. For- merly it was much cultivated. It is propagated from seed and should be sown in the autumn or in February and March. Make the drills very shallow and nine inches apart, and cover lightly with the back of the rake. When the leaves are three or four inches high they are fit for use. Keep them closely cut and they will afford a succession for some time. Keep the soil light and free from weeds, and let a few shoots remain uncut to run up to seed. Use-—The young leaves have a milder flavor than parsley and are used in soups and salads, and also boiled. “Chervil should be eaten” says an old writer, “ with oil and vinegar, being first boiled, which is very good for old people that are dull and without courage; it rejoiceth and comforteth the heart and increaseth the strength.” It is now nearly out of use, and seldom cultivated. Scorzonera Hispanica—ScORZONERA. Scorzenera is a hardy tap-rooted perennial, a native of Spain, Italy, and the South of France, and cultivated in MUSTARD, 259 England since 1576. The stem is two or three feet high, few leaved, branched at the top. The flowers are yellow and syngenesious. . Culture—It is raised from seed which must be sown yearly. ‘The soil like that for most root crops, must be mellow, deep, and fertile. Sow in February or early in March, in drills ten inches apart and half an inch deep. When the young plants are two inches high, thin them to six or eight inches in the drill. Keep the soil mellow and free from weeds as they advance in growth. In short, cultivate exactly like salsify. Give water in dry weather. The roots will be fit to use in August, and may remain in the ground to be dug as wanted. To Save Seed— Let some old plants remain in the spring, which will shoot up tall stems, and produce ripe seed. Use.—The roots are agreeable to the-taste and nutritive, but before use, the bitter outer rind must be seraped off. It is then boiled and used like salsify or carrots. The roots continue good all winter. The plant is too similar to salsify to render its cultivation an object where that is grown. Sinapis—MUSTARD. There are two species of sinapis cultivated, the Alda, usually employed in salads, and the Nigra of which the seed furnishes the well known condiment. The soil for mustard should be a good moist loam, but for a winter crop it may be more dry. White mustard may be sown any time of the year for a salad in the same manner as cress, which see. It must be used when the seed-leaf is just expanded, for if it gets into the rough leaf it is fit for nothing but greens. For use, cut them off with a sharp knife. They should be used soon after 260 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH gathering or their good qualities will be much impaired. The black mustard may be sown from September to March. It will stand any frost and may be gathered for greens at any time during the winter. Sow in drills thinly, eighteen inches apart, hoe the plants as soon as they get their fourth leaf, thin to three inches, and finally to ten in the drill. Keep the ground clean and mellow by the use of the hoe during the season. When the pods change color, gather,and thresh when perfectly dry. Seed of the white variety may be raised in the same manner, or a few plants may be left uncut in the salad bed for this purpose. Use-—The tender leaves of both species are used for salads and should be more cultivated for this purpose. They are also much cultivated for winter greens, but the German greens are much superior in quality, and being quite as hardy and easily cultivated should take their place. The seeds of the white variety are ground, form- ing the condiment known as the Durham or London table mustard, but the flour of the black mustard is that from which our American table mustard is, or ought to be, made. The seeds may be ground in a common spice mill or crushed by a roller ona table. In this country the flour is usually sifted after grinding, but the French do not separate the husk, and thus make a brownish flour, more powerful and palatable than the other. ‘The mustard of commerce is much adulterated, being often a compound of wheat flour and red pepper colored with turmeric. The seeds used whole are an excellent seasoning to various kinds of pickles. Mustard is a very agreeable condiment, assisting digestion and promoting appetite. It is also much used in medicine both by the faculty and in domes- tic practice. It is an acrid stimulant, and in large quan- tities acts as an emetic. 'The proper dose for the latter is from a tea to a tablespoonful in a glass of water. Small WATERCRESS—SKIRRET. 261 doses of mustard seed swallowed whole in water are often useful in dyspepsia. Mustard seed is also a local excitant applied to the skin in a cataplasm, made of the ground meal with vinegar or lukewarm water; if mixed with boiling water the acrid principle will not be developed. Sisymbrium Nasturtium—W ATER-CRESS. This is a perennial English plant, growing in running streams, There is but one variety in use. I give its cul- ture that it may be tried in some of our clear up-country streams. The Water-cress likes a clear, cool, running stream, fresh issuing from a spring, the nearer its source the better, with the water about an inch and a half deep, with a sandy or gravelly bottom. They must of course at first be raised from seed which can be sprinkled at the source of some gravelly stream. If once established they will soon propagate from self-sown seed. If the stems get choked with mud and weeds, they must be taken up and the beds cleared and replanted. The shoots ought always to be cut, as breaking injures the plants. Use.—W ater-cresses are generally liked for their warm pungent taste, and are used alone or in mixed salads. They are an excellent antiscorbutic and purifier of the blood and a great favorite wherever known. Sium Sisarum—SKIRRET. _ Skirret is a perennial umbelliferous plant from China, and known in Europe since 1548. It grows a foot high with pinnate lower leaves. The root is composed of several fleshy tubers, the size of the little finger, joined at the crown. Culture—Skirret likes a light, rich, rather moist soil, with the manure applied at the bottom. It will not do 262 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. well in very dry ground in this climate. It is propagated by seeds or by off-sets of established roots. Seedlings produce the best roots. Sow any time in march, in drills an inch deep and ten inches apart. Sprinkle a few radish seed in the drill as directed for carrots. When the plants are an inch or two high, thin to six or eight inches apart. Cultivate like salsify and keep clear from weeds. They will be fit for use in August but can remain in the ground, to use as wanted, all winter. Slips of the old roots may be set out nine inches apart and cultivated in the same manner. Leave some of the plants in the ground and they will throw up seed-stalks and ripen seed during the summer following. Use—The tubers are boiled and are very sweet, some- what like the parsnip, and are thought more palatable. They are boiled and served up with butter, or cold with vinegar and oil, and are also cooked like salsify in batter. It was formerly esteemed as “the sweetest, whitest, and most pleasant of roots.” Solanum Lycopersicum—ToMato. The Tomato isatender annual, a native of South Amer- ica, and introduced into England in 1596. It belongs to the same genus with the potato and ege-plant. It is scarcely twenty years since its culture was commenced in this country. “In 1828-9” says Buist, “it was almost detested ; in ten years more, every variety of pill and pana- cea was “extract of tomato.” It was long cultivated in the flower garden for its beautiful red and yellow fruit, which was not used fox food, but by many considered poisonous. It is now one of the most popular vegetables. in cultivation, and springs up self-sown in all our gardens. There are many varieties. The Large Red which is cultivated all over the Gan is ANALYSIS OF TOMATO. 263 one of the best. It is patty-pan shaped, and extra large specimens are sometimes six inches in diameter, or as large as a common bush-squash. One of the best flavored and very desirable. Large Smooth Red is a new variety, equally well fla- vored and a favorite in the kitchen, as it grows regular and free from knobs. Cherry is the most common and productive with us, and is excellent for pickling. It is named from its size and shape. Pear-Shaped is of a pink color, firm flesh and few seeds. Much used for pickling, and excellent for the table. Large Yellow is early, and of a rather different flavor. It is a beautiful and excellent sort for preserves. © Gallagher’s Mammoth is the best for home use, a variety of the large red, having few seeds and very superior in size and flavor, especially for eating uncooked with pepper, salt, and vinegar. The analysis of Large Red tomato, has been made by J. H. Salisbury. One thousand pounds of the undried fruit will produce 345 pounds of ash constituted as follows :— Carbonic Acid, : : : ’ 3817 Silicie Acid, peer L : . .0606 Sulphuric Acid, : .0611 Phosphoric Acid and Peroxide of Irom, 8401 Lime, . : : ; .0026 Magnesia, . ; : : : «| 0849 Potcak, ? ; i ; : ; -7191. Soda, ; : ; . , . 8899 Sodium, . ; ; : : : .0952 Chlorine, . : ; . « “472 Organic Acids, g bere : : 1576 3.4100 lbs. 264 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Soda and the phosphates are the most abundant elements, and may be supplied by common salt and bone-dust if wanting in the soil, but any soil almost will produce tomatoes. Culture.-—The tomato likes a light loamy soil, moder- ately rich. Common salt may be applied as a manure in small quantities. If the soil is too rich, they will run to vines, and the fruit ripens late. The culture of the tomato is very easy in this climate, as abundance of seed will sow itself if it is once introduced into the garden. But the finest fruits are not gathered from volunteer plants, but produced from the seeds of the best specimens maturing early, and this vegetable is so desirable that it should be produced as early as possible. A few plants should be started in the house in boxes, or in a cold bed under glass in the latter part of February, or early in March, giving them air, except when there is danger of frost. They can be sown thinly in rows eight inches apart, and transplanted into the open ground assoonasfrostsareover. Plantsshould be kept in reserve, in case of a late frost. The seed may be sown in the open ground from the middle of March to the first of May; sow in drills eight or ten inches apart, and when they come up, thin them to three inches. Protect them from frost, as they are exceedingly tender. ‘They are the easiest things in the world to transplant, and can be safely removed from the time they are an inch high until the blossoms appear. It is best however to take them up care- fully with a trowel, that their growth may not be checked. Plant them three feet apart each way, or more in very rich ground. When the young plants come into blossom, support them by sticks as you would peas. ‘The fruit is thus earlier and better flavored; mulching with leaves or straw is beneficial. Plants for early use should be set out in a warm exposure, and as soon as the lower fruit is half EGG PLANT, OR GUINEA SQUASH. 265 grown, cut off the upper part of the plant above the larger fruit, that its growth may be stopped, and the fruit below will be larger, and several days earlier. Ninety per cent. of the fruit grows within eighteen inches of the ground, but a large portion of the vines grow above that height. Tomatoes like the soil about them well hoed, and free from weeds. Plants grown in the open air, are the more abundant in bearing, than those forwarded under glass. In well-trenched ground, they will continue bearing until frost. Lo Save Seed—Select the largest early fruit, mash with the hand, and wash the seed from the pulp; spread out upon plates and dry in the shade; when dry, put them in paper bags. Use—Few vegetables are prepared in as many different forms as the tomato. It is pickled when green, and pre- served when ripe, it is eaten raw or cooked, it enters into soups and sauces, and is prepared in catsups, marmalades, and omelets. The French, and the Italians, near Rome and Naples, raised them by the acre, long before used by other nations, and it is said, prepared them in an almost in- finite variety of ways. There are very few preparations into which it enters, which are not improved by the addition. Solanum Melongena—EGc-PLANT, OR GUINEA SQUASH. The egg plant is a tender annual, a native of Africa, whence its name Guinea Squash. It was introduced into England in 1597. The varieties of purple egg-plant are the only ones used in cooking, the white variety being raised for ornament. Egg-plant derives its name from the white variety, which when small bears a close resemblance toanegg. The egg-plant when first introduced, was not regarded with much favor for culinary purposes, but is now rapidly working its way upwards in general esteem. All the egg-plants grow finely in this climate. 12 266 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Large Prichly- Stemmed Purple is the largest variety, often growing to a diameter of eight inches, shape slightly oval, and dark purple color. Long Purple is perhaps the best kind for family use, as it is ten days earlier than the other varieties, and though not growing so large, is very prolific in fruit. The fruit of the purple egg-plant has been analyzed by J. H. Salisbury. One thousand pounds of the undried fruit will yield 6,4, pounds of ash, constituted as follows: — Carbonic Acid, . : , : : .2889 Silicie Acid, : ; t F . Gs Sulphuric Acid, ; .2898 Phosphoric Acid and ‘Peroxide or peta 1.7595 Lime, , .0046 : Magnesia, . : . : 4 . > 0825 Potash)? +; f : ‘ : d 1.2496 Soda, . : : : : : 2 wdh9525 Sodium, . : ‘ ‘ f : .0686 Chlorine, : P : ‘ : Teer i Organic Acids, : : : : 1341 6.0399 Over two-thirds of the fruit is made up of potash, soda, and phosphates. Salt, ashes and bone-dust, or better, super- phosphate of lime, may be freely applied to the soil for this crop. Cultwre—Ege-plants require a light, loamy, rich soil to bring their fuk early to rostation: They like the soil manured with half decayed leaves, well dug in. To have them early, sow them in a hot-bed, or in a cold frame under glass, the latter part of February, or early in March. The rows may be six or eight inches apart, made shallow and the earth pressed upon the seed. Keep the sash eare- fully closed until the plants are up, and then give air in warm days. Egg-plants succeed best with a small frame to EGG PLANT, OR GUINEA SQUASH. 267 themselves, as they like a higher heat than is desirable for other plants; if this should be a small hot-bed, it suits them all the better. When the plants are two inches high, 5 transplant into another frame under glass and put the plants two inches apart, and they will grow stout and more hardy for out-door planting. It is a good plan to prick them out in small pots. They can thus be planted out with the ball of earth entire. Do not, put them out until settled warm weather, for if the plants get chilled while young, their growth is so checked that they never fully recover. Plants can also be raised in the open ground, but must not be sown until early in April, for these one transplant- ing will be sufficient. Prepare the final bed for egg-plants by making trenches three feet apart, burying in them old cabbage stumps, corn stalks and other vegetable refuse, and covering them with soil twelve inches deep, in which plant out the egg-plants two feet apart in the row. Water abundantly until established. Keep the ground well hoed and free from weeds, and earth up the plants a little from time to time. Twelve to twenty plants will be enough. For Seed.—Allow one of the largest fruits from a prolific plant to ripen seed. It will keep three or four years. Use.—Egg-plant is used by the French in various ways in soups and stews, but generally cut in thin slices, and fried in batter. They are not commonly liked at first, but after a few trials become very agréeable to most tastes, and are esteemed a delicacy. They are fit for use when some two or three inches in diameter, and continue until the seeds begin to change color. They are not unwholesome, but cannot be very nourishing, as they contain a very large proportion of water. To Fry.—Cut the egg-plant in slices a quarter of an inch thick. ‘To remove the acrid taste, pile the slices on 268 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. a plate, with alternate layers of salt; raise one side of the plate, that the juice may run off. In half an hour wash them well in fresh water, and fry them quite brown in batter. Solanum Tubherosum—Porato. The Irish potato is a perennial plant, cultivated for its. tuberous roots. It is reported to have been brought into England from Virginia, by Raleigh in 1854, but as he never visited Virginia, he probably obtained it from some other portion of this continent. ‘Though called the Irish potato it is really. a native of the mountain parts of South Amer- ica, whence roots have recently been obtained differing very little from the cultivated varieties. Notwithstanding its excellence and complete adaptation to the English cli- mate, it appears to have come slowly into use. Raleigh planted it on his Irish estate near Cork, but it is only within about a hundred years that its culture has been general even in Ireland. In 1780, very few individuals in this country raised as large a crop as five bushels. Of the numerous varieties at this time, the best perhaps for garden culture are :— Fox Seedling —A medium sized, round, white potato, of fine flavor when it first matures, but does not keep for win- ter. Liable to the rot. Mercer.—Long, kidney shaped, flattish, full of eyes, and often knobbed, spotted with pink at the small end. It is early and productive, but liable to the rot. Mammoth Nutmeg—Is a new variety, highly recom- mended by Mapes as productive, and not liable to decay. It produces seed, showing that it still possesses more con- stitutional vigor than most other varieties. Many other varieties have great celebrity in different sections of the country, among which are Early Kidneys, Pink Eyes, Foxite, Blue Jackets, &c. But the fact is, al! ANALYSIS OF POTATO. 969 © are constitutionally liable to the rot. Besides for this cli- mate we need an lish potato that will continue in growth nearly all the season, as they ripen too early with us to be easily kept in their dry mealy state. Any one who would obtain the potato balls from the wild plant in its native habitation, and originate therefrom new varieties adapted ‘to the climate of this section of the Union, would deserve the thanks of the entire South. We buy northern tubers which are infested with disease, and after our crop is ma- tured, frequently one- half decays. ‘The potato disease is a very mysterious malady, and the only ground of hope of ever seeing it eradicated or even checked is by resorting to the wild plant, and raising from it a new and vigorous stock. ‘This may not be successful, but it is really worthy of trial, and if not brought about by private enterprise, should be an object of public attention.* The analysis of the ash of Axbridge kidney potatoes, by Herapath, is given below :— Carbonic Acid, . : b : 21.40 Sulphuric Acid, : ; ; of | cheek Phosphoric Acid, . ; : 3.77 Potassa, : : : . Sood Soda, : ; : trace Chloride of S cdinin, : : . trace Carbonate of Lime, ; : ‘ 3.02 “ « Magnesia, . : oy kel Sulphate of Lime, : : : Bi Phosphate of Lime, : ' 1 ens - Magnesia, : 7.55 Basie Phosphate of Sesquioxide of i ons .06 Silica, . : , : : : mh. 99.98 * This has been undertaken by Mr. C. E. Goodrich, of Utica, New York, by whom tubers and seeds raised directly from the wild plant, and in some degree free from the tendency to disease, are offered for sale. 270 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Potash and phosphate of magnesia are the most import- ant inorganic elements of the plant. Wood ashes will furnish most cf the constituents required from the soil. Culture—The Irish potato likes a cool moist climate, and a cool moist soil like that of Ireland. The soil should be well enriched with vegetable and not with animal manure. ‘he best potatoes in this country are grown in the cool and hilly sections of the north, and the best there are grown by simply turning nicely over a meadow sward ; upon this the rows are laid off shallow, and the clover sods are often so tough with matted roots when planting (having been newly turned over), that earth is with diffi- culty obtained to cover the potatoes. Soon decomposition commences, a gentle heat is given out, and by the time the potatoes are ready for the first working they can be ploughed with ease. At the second working, when the plants are laid by, the soil is mellow as an ash heap, the young plant the mean while being supplied with moist- ure, and the very food required to perfect its tubers, and render them farinaceous and nutritive. At the south, in our gardens we cannot obtain such a soil, but we can very much improve the yield, and especially the quality of our Irish potatoes by imitating it as near as possible. We can dig into the soil vegetable matter to decompose, such as leaves, garden refuse of all kinds, and pine straw. Even tan bark is not a bad application to the potato crop, and the potato and strawberry are the only plants to which I would apply it. I applied it to a small plat at the rate of fifty two-horse loads to the acre, with plenty of leached ashes. ‘The potato crop was excellent both in quantity and quality, and I think the tan materially promoted its growth. ‘The soil has not a trace of undecomposed tan- bark in it; but from a poor red clay is now a light dark garden mould. A great reason for applying vegetable CULTURE OF POTATO. 271 manure to this plant is the superior quality of the tubers produced. Liebig first remarked that ammoniacal manures injure the quality of the potato, though they increase the size and quantity. If manured with strong animal manure the tubers are moist and waxy, while if grown upon a soil manured with ashes, lime, and an abundant supply of car- bonaceous manures, such as decaying vegetable matter, the produce is far more starchy and nutritive. This is reasonable, for starch and the woody fibre of decompos- ing vegetable matter are very similar in chemical composi- tion. Apply strong dung, if you like waxy potatoes. I believe some really prefer them. Indeed anexcellent old lady with whom I boarded was one. We had been using for some weeks from her garden some of the most waxy and indifferent potatces I ever tasted, the product of a soil altogether too rich in ammoniacal matter for this plant. One day at the dinner table, a dish of dry white farina- ceous tubers made their appearance, whose jackets bursting with mealiness would have made an Irishman’s eyes water. Itwas achange, and we were quietly enjoying it, when our good hostess broke the silence with the remark : «These potatoes are not so good to-day as we have been having from our own garden ; somehow they don’t seem to be as juicy /’—the last characteristic to be thought of in ‘a good potato. Peabody’s mode of raising Irish potatoes in this climate, cannot be improved. “ As soon after Christmas as possi- ble, plow or spade up the piece of ground designed for the potato patch, and lay it off in furrows two feet wide, and eight or ten inches deep; now fill the furrow with decomposed straw or leaves (wheat or pine straw will an- swer), cut the potatoes once in.two, and place them six inches apart cut side downwards upon the straw; now 272 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. level the top of the ridge, covering seed, straw and all with earth; then cart on straw scattering it evenly eighteen inches deep; two feet will be better. The winter rains will beat down the straw compactly ; decomposition commencing in the straw in the furrow, and in that next the ground, the potato sprouts force their way up through the straw, and should an untimely frost nip the tops, the tubers are not affected by it as when in the ground, the tops will push up through the straw, and eventually cover the whole patch with their dark green foliage. The evenness of temperature with the moisture of the decomposing straw, will keep the potatoes always mealy. In the dryest season the yield will be greater than when planted in the ordinary way, and when once planted, it is an end of culture until they are taken out for the table. The same piece of ground will improve in productiveness for years as the straw decomposes. Many have failed in this mode of culture from the fact that they have not applied half straw enough.” But good as the above mode undoubtedly is, many of us cannot get the straw required for this manner of culture, while we are not disposed to do without Irish potatoes. All we can dois to incorporate with the soil abundance of vegeta- i le matter of any kind we can get, and plant the early crop in January, and the main crop the last of February, laying off the ground in deep furrows or trenches two and a quarter feet apart ; in these depositing a good sprinkling of lime, char- coal, leached ‘ashes, and bone-dust, or such of these as can be obtained. On this the cut potatoes are to be laid at eight inches apart, as above. If on each set a teaspoonful of gypsum or plaster of Paris be sprinkled, the yield will be very much increased. The seed is better, if cut a few days before planting and spread out to dry. Large pota / CULTURE OF POTATO. Af toes will make three or four sets. Fill up the furrow with earth, and if this be mixed with tan-bark, the potatoes will like it all the better. When the young vines appear, if there is danger of frost, they can be protected by covering them with earth. This should not be done unless needed, and the earth should be carefully drawn back after the danger is over. It is better to plant the main crop sufiiciently late to avoid all danger of frost. As soon as the shoots appear, give the young plants frequent and deep hoeings, keeping the soil deep and mellow, and drawing alittle earth up to the stem ina broad, flat hill. Cease working them when the blossom- buds appear. When the tops decay, and the plants are ripe, dig them, and spread in a cool, dry place. If they sprout, the shoots should be rubbed off, as they injure the flavor of the potato. A change of seed once in three or four years is an advantage, but there is no use in buying fresh seed every year. It is believed that potatoes culti- vated and manured as directed above are much less sub- ject to the potato-rot, the ravages of which have recently almost depopulated Ireland. Schleiden attributes the rot to the long continued use of nitrogenous manures. Still the great hope of a permanent escape from this disease is to go back for our seed once more to the healthy wild stock. ‘To keep them eatable, rub off the sprouts as fast as they appear. If allowed to grow they become waxy. Use-—The tubers of the Irish potato, consisting chiefly of starch, and having no peculiarity of taste, approach nearer in their nature to the flour of grain than any other root. Hence it is almost universally liked, and can be continually used by the same individual, without becom- ing unpalatable. Potatoes are boiled, baked, roasted, or fried. When long kept, the best ones are selected, boiled, 2” oi 4 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. and mashed, before going to the table. Starch can be manufactured from potatoes; also ardent spirits. To Boil—A very common way, described by Peabody, is to “put them into cold water, boil them a couple of hours or so, peel them, and grease them over with rancid butter, and place them cold upon the table. This is the acme of the gastronomic art with some.” A very good way is the following :—Wash the potatoes, and cut off the ends; put them into boiling water, and boil briskly from twenty minutes to half an hour; drain off the water, and they are ready for the table. The skins may be removed before bringing to the table; but this is not so good a plan. If the potatoes remain, after cooking, without being brought to the table, they should be kept warm and dry in the pot, uncovered, near the fire Spinacea Oleracea—SPINACH. Spinach is a hardy annual, native of Spain and Persia; cultivated in English gardens since 1568, and probably long before. Some refer its origin to Western Asia. The leaves are large, stems hollow, and the male and female flowers produced on different plants. Its name, spenacea, is derived from the Latin, spina, a thorn, on account of the prickly seed of one variety. There are two sorts in gen- eral cultivation, viz. :— The Prickly is much raised in cold climates; being hardier, and more able to endure the severity of the win- ter. It has triangular leaves, and is much inferior to the Round-Leaved—Leaves more round, and still more full and fleshy; will stand our winters without protection, and is the better variety for this climate. Flanders spinach has prickly seeds, and is a ‘good variety, though little known here. ANALYSIS OF SPINACH. yA es Spinach has been analyzed by Richardson, with the following result :— Potassa, : : : : ‘ 9.69 Soda, : ! . 3 X 34.96 Lime, . : é : ; $3.11 Magnesia, 3 : : 5.29 Sulphuric Acid, : : ; 9.30 Silicie Acid, : : : ; 3.16 Phosphoric Acid, . : é 7.89 Phosphate of Iron, . : ; 8.67 Chloride of Sodium, : : 7.93 100.00 The lime and salt mixture with superphosphate of lime will supply most of the inorganic elements required by spinach. Culture—Y¥or the winter crop, a light dry, but fertile soil is preferable ; while for spring sowings, to have them long in use, a rich moist loam is desirable. Give them an open situation. The earth should be well pulverized before sowing, as fine tilth greatly promotes vigorous growth. Spinach is propagated from seed so easily, and is so valuable for winter greens, that no garden should be without it. The first crop should be sown early in October, in drills an inch deep, and a. foot apart, scat- tering the seed thinly. Sow the seed, if possible, in showery weather, or if dry, water it, for if moisture be wanting during the early stages of vegetation, not half the seed will come up. Thin them by degrees, separating them at first only an inch or two as the plants grow fit for use. Thinning should commence when they attain four leaves an inch or so in breadth. The plants must finally stand for the prickly spinach, five inches, and the round leaf, eight inches in the drill. Keep the rows frequently hoed and free from weeds, Hoe in dry weather. Spinach 276 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. kept clean and thinned to the proper distance, is not so liable to die out in winter. Frequent hoeing greatly pro- motes health and growth. This sowing will be fit to gather in November, and last until spring. Another sow- ing should be made in January and February, to keep up a succession, until other vegetables come on abundantly. Regular gathering greatly promotes the health of the plants. The outer leaves only should be used, leaving the centre uninjured to supply successive crops. At the end of the winter, the soil between the rows of the winter standing crop should be gently stirred to assist their pro- duction in early spring. Tor spinach and all other plants cultivated for their leaves, the soil cannot be too rich. For Seed—Some of the latest plants of the standing crop should be allowed to run up to seed; let these plants be eight or ten inches apart. Spinach is dicecious, and the plants left that do not bear seed must not be pulled up, as they are needed to fertilize the others until the seed is set. When ripe, pull the plants, dry thoroughly on a cloth, and beat out and store the seed in paper bags. Spinach seed will keep three years. Use-—Spinach and German Greens are the best pint to raise for a supply of winter and early spring greens. No frost will hurt them, and one who has tried them will hardly be induced to fall back upon mustard and turnip tops. It is really one of the most valuable plants in the garden. Spinach eaten freely is laxative and cooling; it is not very nutritive, but very wholesome. It is so innocent that it is permitted to be eaten in diseases where most vegetables are proscribed. The leaves are very tender and succulent, and of a most beautiful green when boiled. The juice is often used for coloring various culinary pre- parations. To Boil—Cut off all the roots, wash out all insects and NEW ZEALAND SPINACH. S77 grit, and put in boiling water with a teaspoonful of salt ; boil ten or fifteen minutes. When done, drain through a colander, press out the moisture, and serve with butter and a little salt. Tetragoma Expansa—NEeEW ZEALAND SPINACH. An annual plant brought by Sir Joseph Banks, from New Zealand, in 1772, with thick, succulent, pale green procumbent leaves, deltoid in shape, and with small green inconspicuous flowers. It grows four or five feet high. ‘The common Spinach fails entirely in summer, but this variety, if well watered, grows freely and _ produces leaves of the greatest succulency in hot weather. White Beet or Swiss Chard, however, is a vegetable more easily cultivated and preferable in every way for general culti- vation in our climate. Culture—New Zealand Spinach may be sowed early in April. The best soil is a deep, moist loam, deeply dug and enriched by a liberal supply of good manure. Make the drills three feet apart, and scatter the seed about six inches apart in the drill, and cover them an inch deep. Thin out the plants, when well established, to twenty inches apart. ‘Those taken up after filling any vacancies in the drill may be reset in another bed. Take them up with the trowel and balls of earth, so as not to check their growth. Water until the plants are established, and liberally in dry weather all summer. Keep the ground thoroughly tilled and free from weeds, that the plants may make a luxuri- ant growth. In five or six weeks the young leaves may begin to be picked off. Preserve the leading shoot, and the branches will continue long in bearing, as in autumn they survive a pretty heavy frost. ‘Twenty plants are enough. Seed may be gathered as it ripens, dried carefully in the shade, and put up in paper bags. 278 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Use.—It is prepared for the table like common spinach. It has somewhat the spinach flavor ; but there is a softness and mildness about it, which make it preferred by many. The seeds in a green state, make an excellent pickle. Thymus Vulgar oars HY ME. Common, or garden thyme, isa low, Sonar undershrub, a native of Spain, Italy, and Greece, cultivated in English gardens since 1548, and probably earlier. Its name, Thy- mus, comes from the Greek word for courage; as it was thought to renew the strength and spirits. It has a pleas- ant aromatic smell, and a warm pungent taste. Lemon Thyme ( Thymus Citriodorus ) is also a low trailing evergreen shrub, seldom rising above four or six inches high. It has a strong smell of lemons, which gives it its common name. Cultuwre-—Thyme is raised by seed, cuttings and divid- ing the roots. A poor, light, dry soil, is suitable. The root slips may be set out in rows six inches apart each way. The seeds are very small, and should be sown in moist weather, and the soil for their reception made very fine. Sow the last of February or early in March, and rake the seed in lightly with the back of the rake. Press the surface gently with a board or the back of a spade. Make the drills six inches apart and very shallow. Water lightly in hot dry weather, both before and after the plants are up. Let them remain in the drills, or trans- plant when two or three inches high. Thin the plants to six inches apart, keep free from weeds while the ee are small. Thyme is oftenused as an edging. A very small plat is enough for any family. For Seed—It bears seed abundantly, if permitted. The SALSIFY OR VEGETABLE OYSTER. 279 spikes should be gathered as it ripens, before it is washed out by the rain. Dry upon a cloth in the shade. Use—The young leaves and tops are used in soups, stuffings and sauces. They can be dried and preserved like other herbs; but in this climate it is unnecessary, as it is evergreen. ‘Thyme tea is a cure for the headache, and an excellent tonic. ‘The essential oil contains camphor. Tragopogen Porrifolius—SALSIFY OR VEGETABLE OYSTER. Salsify is a hardy, tap-rooted biennial, a native of Eng- land and various other parts of Europe, with long taper- ing root of a fleshy white substance, the herbage smooth glaucous, and the flower-stem three or four feet high, the flower of a dull purple color and syngenesious. Salsify likes a light, mellow soil, dug very deeply, as for carrots and other tap-rooted plants. Sow in Febru- ary or March (earlier if you choose), in drills an inch deep, and a foot apart. Sow rather thickly. An ounce of seed will sow a square rod. Scarlet radish may also be sown thinly in the same drills. When an inch high, thin the plants, and continue by degrees until the plants are six inches apart. If the soil is deep and moist, they will grow all summer and not run up to seed. Watering in dry weather, especially with guano water, will greatly invigorate the plants. Cultivate the soil, and keep it free from weeds, as you would for beets and carrots. The roots will be fit for use in August, and may remain in the ground all winter, to be pulled as wanted. For Seed—Leave, or transplant some of the best plants in spring, which will produce seed abundantly. Gather and dry in the heads, where they may be kept until wanted. 280 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Use—The stalks of old plants are sometimes cut in the spring, as a substitute for asparagus. The roots are boiled or stewed like carrots, and have a mild, sweet flavor, be- ing wholesome, palatable and tolerably nutritive. They are said to be excellent for consumptive patients; but are mostly cooked to imitate oysters, to which the flavor has some resemblance. To Cook.—Scrape the roots lightly and soak in water one hour. Boil until tender. Take out, drain, and make a batter of milk and eggs beaten up with a little flour; grate the roots fine, add an egg well beaten and press them into small, flat balls the size of oysters, dip them in the batter and roll in grated cracker or crumbs of bread, and fry in hot lard until of a light brown color, and they are ready for the table. Tropzolum Majus—N ASTURTIUM, OR INDIAN CRESS. The nasturtium is here a hardy annual, a native of Peru, where it is a true perennial. It was introduced into England in 1681. ‘The stalks are long and trailing, leaves have their petioles fixed at the centre. Flowers are hel- met-shaped, of a rich, brilliant orange, and continue, from their first appearance, all summer; and if not so common, would be thought very beautiful. Topwolwm Minor, the Indian cress, is less productive. Cultwre-—Nasturtiums flourish in a moist soil, but do best in a good, fresh loam. If the soil is too rich, the plants are luxuriant, but do not bear so abundantly, and the berries are of inferior flayor. Give them an open sit- uation. Sow the seed early in March, three or four inches apart, in drills an inch deep, covering the seed three- fourths of an inch. The seed must be of the preceding year’s growth. They may be sown by the side of a fence or trellis. If more than one row is sown, they should be at ENGLISH BROAD BEAN. 281 least four feet apart. Thin the plants, when they are well up, to a foot in the drill. Hoe the ground well, and keep down the weeds. If sown in the open ground, support them as you would peas with lattice or brush. Give the plants a little assistance in fastening themselves to the trellis. Water in dry weather. Gather the fruit when full grown, while still fresh and green. For Seed.—Let some of the berries mature, gather them as they ripen, spread them to dry and harden, and store in paper bags. Use——The flowers and young leaves are used in salads, and have a warm taste like water cress. The flowers are used with those of borage in garnishing dishes. The ber- ries, gathered green and pickled, form an excellent substi- tute for capers. Viaa Faba—EnGuIsH Broap BEAN. The English Broad Bean is an annual, from two to four feet high, with white, fragrant papilionaceous flowers, with a black spot in the middle of the wings; seed pods thick, long, woolly within, enclosing large, ovate, flat seeds, for the sake of which it is much cultivated in Eu- rope. It isa native of Egypt, and has been cultivated from time immemorial. Mazagan is sweet and agreeable in flavor, and pro- duces well if planted early. Far the most productive variety with me. Long Pod —Stalks rise about three feet high, bears well; the pods are long, narrow, and well filled with seeds. Culture—This is not a very important crop in this cli- mate, as the other beans are far better and more easily cul- tivated. To give variety to early garden products, a few may be planted in drills eighteen inches apart, and two 282 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. inches in the row,in October, November, or December. They like a dry soil, moderately rich, and a sheltered sit- uation, to promote their growth during the winter. The frost will not injure them. When two inches high, hoe between and draw the earth about the stems of the plants. Continue this during their growth. When the plants come into bloom, take off two or three inches of the tops of the stems, which will increase the crop and hasten its maturity. The crop should be gathered before they are full grown, while they are still tender and delicate. To Save Seed.—Allow a portion of the crop to remain until ripe. Thresh for use. ' Use-—The English use these beans while young and tender, as we do green peas. They must be cooked very young, and in the same manner; or may be boiled with bacon. Tea Mays—Invdian Corn. Indian Corn is a native plant, found distributed in all the milder climates of America at its discovery. It is of more universal culture than any other plant on this conti- nent, and can be made to produce more food per acre than any other grain. The best garden varieties are the Extra Eurly—with short ears, small cob, and large grains, which are of excellent flavor. It can be grown fit for the table in six weeks from the time of planting. Fight-rowed Sugar—LHars of larger size, grow two or more on a stalk, remain in a milky state, and fit for the table a long time; grains, when dry, are small and shriy- elled; of very sweet and excellent flavor when boiled. Old Colony Sweet—A new variety, of the highest repu- tation, I have not yet cultivated. Stowell’s Evergreen Sweet Corn—A twelve-rowed variety, ANALYSIS OF INDIAN CORN. 2838 with ears largerthan the Eight-rowed. The grains resemble the Sugar Corn, but are thinner when dry. It produces well, and is quite as good. It is also said, if the husks are allowed to remain on the ears, secured by a string at the smaller end, and kept in a cool, dry place, the grains will continue milky, and fit for use for several months after being picked. It is doubtful whether they could be thus kept in our climate; but, at all events, itis a very excel- lent table corn, and keeps green longer than any other variety. The three latter varieties are more injured by the corn- worm, as our planters call the insect that eats into the end of the ear, than the common corn of the country. The insect chooses the high-flavored varieties in preference. He should be crushed wherever found. Spengel found in 100.000 parts of maize grain, 1312 parts of inorganic matter, and in 100.000 parts of maize stalk, 3985 parts of inorganic matter, consisting of GRAIN, STRAW, Poiasn,,. . ; + SOG —r. 3 .{ £89 Soda, 2 ; , 250 s ; 4 Lime, . : : “ener Te ; 9 GBS Magnesia. ; : 128 ; : 236 Alumina) ; ‘ wie .1iGs a. ; : 6 Oxide of Iron, ©. trace ; : 4 Oxide of Manganese, df) mel ; Lo 20 Silica, : ‘ : A434 : ‘ 2708 Sulphuric acid, . md ial bala : +" 106 Phosphoric acid, y 224 : : 54 Chlorine, . . : 35 : : 6 1312 3985 Maize likes a soil abounding in soluble silica. Gypsum and ashes, experience has proved,the best special manures. Sweet corn has much less starch than the other varieties ; 284 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. but much more sugar and extract. It has also a greater portion of dextrine and gum. . Culture—In the Northern States, a dry soil and a hot season are required to produce large crops of corn. Here we raise far better crops in moist seasons, and on moist bottom lands. Rich, deep loam affords the plant plenty of moisture and nourishment, which the corn likes. The garden corn will bear very thick planting. Get your seed from the north at least every two years, if you would have early crops, as the earliest sorts gradually grow later here. Plant as soon as the season gets mild, about the first of March in this climate, or when the peach is well in bloom. Let the ground be deeply ploughed or spaded; then lay off in hills three feet apart each way. If the ground is not rich, place a shovelful of decayed manure to each hill. Fresh dung can be immediately applied to corn, if spread before ploughing, and well turned in. Plant five grains to a hill, and cover two inches deep. When they are up, thin out to three. Hoe deeply, and often. In fact, corn cannot be hoed too much for its good while young. Draw the earth each time a little over the stalk. Plant on any spot that happens to be vacant, every three weeks, until the first of August here, and a month later in the low country, if the early varieties are used. Corn is a gross feeder, and cannot get too much manure. It should be soaked in a solution of saltpetre twelve hours before plant- ing. A sprinkling of guano about the hill is beneficial, if it does not touch the seed. Corn is much improved by giving the plants, at their first hoeing, a teaspoonful of gypsum to each hill, or a pint of ashes, or as much of the charcoal poudrette. Chickens, birds, and squirrels can be prevented from pulling up the corn, by soaking it twelve hours before planting in water, then stirring briskly the INDIAN CORN. 285 seed in a vessel containing a little tar mixed with warm water; thus giving each grain a thin coat. After which, for convenient handling, it is to be rolled in as much ashes, gypsum, or lime, as it will take up. One-half bushel of corn requires a pint of tar and a gallon of warm water, with as much ashes as will stick to the grain. It is effect- ual against birds, squirrels, &c.; while the seed vegetates freely, if previously soaked. For Seed—Select the best ears from stalks that bear more than one. Use—Indian Corn is prepared in a greater variety of ways for the table than any other grain. In fact, the modes of preparation alone would almost fill a volume. That from the garden is mostly boiled green. Green corn can be very easily preserved for winter use, by cutting off the kernels after boiling, and drying in a shaded, airy place. The sweet corn only should be used for this pur- pose. MEDICINAL HERBS. A FEw roots of the most useful of these should be found in every garden. The following is a description of those most used in families, including their medical qualities, and ample directions for their cultivation. The medicinal properties of many of these depend upon their aromatic — qualities, and they are never so fragrant and full of vir- tue when grown upon ground highly manured. Cham- omile. lavender, rosemary, rue, wormwood, and many others, lose much of their strength when forced into rank growth. Common garden soil, without manuring, is quite good enough. Whenever the plants begin to decline, take away the old surface soil, and apply fresh, or set out new plants in fresh ground. . Medicinal, pot, or sweet herbs, as a general rule, should be gathered when in bloom, and dried carefully and thor- oughly in the shade. When thoroughly dry, press them closely into paper bags, or powder them finely; sift, and keep in closely-stopped bottles. ANETHUM. Anethum Graveolens—DILL. An annual, a native of Southern Europe, and also of the Cape of Good Hope. Cultivated for its seeds, which have an aromatic odor, and a warm, pungent, and some- what bitter taste. Medicinally, they are good for flatu- lence and colic in infants. The leaves are sometimes used for culinary purposes, and the seeds are occasionally added to pickled cucumbers to heighten the flavor. (286) FENNEL. ' 287 Sow the seeds either early in the spring, or soon after they are ripe, in a light soil. Thin, if crowded, and keep clean. Anethum Faniculum—FENNEL. Fennel is a hardy, aromatic, perennial plant from the South of Europe, growing wild on the banks of rivers, and perhaps quite as properly belongs to the culinary as the medicinal department of the garden. It has a finely divided leaf, and tall umbel-bearing stems, crowned with small yellow flowers. Cultuwre—Fennel will grow in almost any soil. It is propagated by offsets, parting the roots, or by seed; all which modes may be successfully practised at any time between October and April. The best season, however, for sowing the seed is when it ripens in the fall. If planted, set them one foot apart. If sown, in drills twelve inches asunder. The seed may be sown moderately thick, about half an inch deep, and the earth pressed upon them. When the young plants are four or five inches high, thin them out to ten or twelve inches. Those taken up may be planted out to enlarge the bed. Water them freely, if the weather is dry. Keep the plants free from weeds, which is all the cultivation required. If the seed is not desired, the stems should be cut down as often as they run up; for, if allowed to ripen seed, the old plants will last but few years. But this is of little consequence, as plenty of self-sown seedlings will be ready to take their place. Hight or ten roots are enough for any family. It should be kept within proper limits, as _it is much inclined to spread. Use-—Fennel is a good deal used, in continental Europe, in soups, fish-sauces, garnishes, and salads. It is also con- siderably used in England, but less with us. The Italians 288 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. blanch and eat the stalks like celery. A little fennel seed sometimes gives an agreeable variety in flavoring apple- sauce and pies. But it is most used medicinally. ‘The seeds are carminative and stimulant, and in an infusion are excellent for the flatulent colic of infants. Angelica Archangelica—ANGELICA. A native of many parts of Northern Europe. It is a biennial plant, rising from three to five feet high. The whole plant is powerfully aromatic. Its roots have a fragrant, agreeable odor, and at first a sweetish taste which soon turns acrid in the mouth. Its medical proper- ties are aromatic, stimulant and gently tonic. Its stalks were formerly blanched and eaten like celery, but it isnow mostly cultivated to make a sweetmeat from them when young and tender. ‘They are also candied by the confectioners. Sow the seed one foot apart in August or September, and when they get about four inches high, the next spring, set them in rows two feet apart. Though the plant is only a biennial, yet by cutting down the seed-stalk when- ever it rises, the same plant may be preserved several seasons. Angelica likes a moist, cool soil. Anthemis nobiltis—CHAMOMILE. A perennial, a native of England, cultivated for its flowers, which have a bitter aromatic taste, and are in. small doses a useful tonic, but given largely, act as an emetic. An infusion of them improves digestion and gives tone to the disordered stomach. ‘The flowers are some- times chewed as a substitute for tobacco. , It is best propagated by dividing the roots in spring. Keep the ground free from weeds. WORMWOOD—SOUTHERNWOOD. 289 Gather the flowers when just in full bloom and dry in the shade. ; ARTEMISIA. Artemsia Absinthium—W oRMWOOD. A native of Europe, perennial, cultivated much in gar- dens. Its odor is strong and fragrant, and its taste aroma- tic but intensely bitter. It is cultivated for the tops or extremities of the branches. Its properties are tonic, diuretic, and it is a vermifuge. ‘The dried leaves steeped in vinegar are a very useful application to fresh bruises, for which it is well worth cultivating. It is also usefully employed in antiseptic fomentations. Wormwood likes a calcareous soil, and may be raised either by cuttings, seeds, or dividing the roots. Cultiva- ted same as hyssop; roots being eighteen inches apart. A dry, poor soil is necessary to bring out the peculiar virtues of this plant. Artemisia Abrotanum—SouTHERNWOOD. Is very nearly allied to the above, both being species of the same genus, and similaras to medical properties. Like wormwood, it has a grateful odor, but it is not much used in medicine from its nauseous taste. It is a stimulant, vermifuge, and emmenagogue. For culture, see “ Hyssop.” Borago Officinalis—BOoRaGE. An annual European plant. The tender tops, young leaves, and flowers, are sometimes used as a salad by the French, and boiled by the Italians. Medicinally it was formerly thought endowed with very great virtues, and numbered among the four cordial flowers. Old Girard says, “ Those of our time do use the flowers 13 290 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. in salads, and to exhilarate and to make the mind glad. There be many things made of them used for the comfort of the heart, to drive away sorrow and increase the joy of the minde.”’ The plant is not much used now except as an ingredient in the drink called “a cool tankard,’”’ made of wine, water, lemon-juice, and sugar, to which afew of the tender leaves seem to give additional coolness. Sow early in March or last of February, broadcast, and a little thinning and weeding is all the attention that will be needed. Carum Carwi—CARAWAY. A native of England and various other countries of Europe. It is a biennial plant, well known to the ancients. Pliny mentions it. Caraway is cultivated for its seeds, which are useful in confectionery; as in cakes, comfits, &c., and the leaves are sometimes used in soups. The roots are said to excel those of the parsnip, being formerly cooked and used in the same manner. Medicinally the seeds are used in an infusion for flatulence. Sow in March or in the autumn, and thin so as to give each plant a foot of room. Keep free from weeds. The autumn sowing will give seed the next season. Centaurea Benedicta—BLESSED THISTLE. An annual from Spain, and the Levant. An infusion of the leaves is used as a stomachic, to produce an appe- tite : if strong, it promotes perspiration. Sow the seed in autumn, in light earth. Thin, and keep free from weeds. Gather the herb in flower and dry with great care, as it is very apt to mould. This plant had formerly a great reputation, but it is now little used. The taste is very bitter and the smell disagreeable. | THOROUGHWORT—LIQUORICE. 291 Coriandrum Sativum—CoRIANDER. An annual from the East; also grows naturally in the South of Europe. Some like its tender leaves for soups and salads, but it is raised mostly for its seeds which have a pleasant aromatic taste, though the smell is disagreeable. Coriander seed is carminative and stomachic. It is often used to disguise the taste of medicines, but it is principally employed in confectionery. Sow the seed in March, where they are to remain, in drills ten inches apart. Do this in dry weather and thin the plants to four inches, and keep free from weeds. Ewupatorium Perfoliatum—THOROUGHWORT, OR BONESET. A native of most of the United States, which, if not found growing wild in the vicinity, should be cultivated, as itis one of the best herbs in family practice. It has a faint odor, an intensely bitter taste, and is slightly astrin- gent. Its medicinal virtues are diaphoretic, tonic, and in larger doses, emetic and aperient. It is principally used as a diaphoretic in colds, catarrhs, and rheumatism, in intermittent, remittent, and inflammatory diseases, or given cold as a tonic in dyspepsia. A strong infusion given warm in bed is almost a sovereign remedy for a cold. To a pint of boiling water, add one ounce of the leaves and flowers, and take it hot at two or three doses. Boneset is a perennial, and can be raised by transplant- ing the roots or sowing the seed. Glycirrhiza Glabra—LiQuoRIce. A hardy perennial from Southern Europe, the saccha- rine juice of the root of which is useful in catarrhs, fevers, &c. Its taste is sweet and mucilaginous, and it is much 292 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. used as a demulcent, either alone or combined with other substances, for lung diseases. A few roots of this plant when once started, will be of very little trouble in the garden. ‘The plantis propa- gated by cuttings of the roots. Dig the soil at least two feet deep. 'l'ake the horizontal roots of established plants, five or six inches long. Every shoot planted should have at least two eyes ; make the rows three feet apart, and the plant twelve to fifteen inches in the rows, and cover the roots well with mould. Onions, lettuce or radishes, may be grown between the rows the first year; afterwards keep the soil free from weeds, dress the surface with ma- nure every autumn, and at the end of the third year take up the crop as soon as the leaves are fully decayed, and dry the roots thoroughly. In shallow or poor ground it will not succeed. Hyssopus Officinalis—Hyssop. Hyssop is a hardy evergreen undershrub from the South of Europe, of which the leaves and flower-stalks are the parts used medicinally. It has an aromatic odor, and a warm pungent taste. It is stimulant and expecto- rant, and employed in humoral asthma and chronic catarrh. Hyssop is propagated by slips or dividing the roots in the spring, or by sowing the seed in March. Transplant the young plants in July to where they are to remain, or you may thin the young plants to six inches apart, and let them remain in the seed-bed until autumn before trans- planting. It likes a dry sandy soil, and about eighteen inches space should be given to each plant. Inula Helentum—ELECAMPANE. A native of England and Japan. It is a_ perennial plant, and loves a moist soil. It is cultivated for its thick, LAVENDER—PEPPERMINT. 293 fleshy, carrot-like root, which is useful as an aromatic tonic and expectorant. It is very beneficial in chronic coughs and eatarrhs, and also in dyspepsia. An infusion of the root is excellent for a common cold. Cut up fine and fed with their corn, the root is a great relief to the distemper in horses. It is propagated by offsets, or by parting the roots in autumn. Lavendula Spica—LAvENDER. A hardy undershrub, a native of the South of Europe. It is cultivated for its fragrant spikes of flowers, which are used for the distillation of Lavender-water. Being dried and put up in paper bags, they are also used to perfume linen. Both flowers and leaves are very aromatic. It has an agreeable pungent bitterness to the taste, and its medi- cal properties are stimulant, cordial, and stomachic, and the essential oil mixed with proof spirits is very useful in cases of fainting and paralysis, but the chief use of the plant i is as a perfume. Lavender is very hardy and easily clawed! It may be propagated by seeds, slips, or cuttings. Sow the seed in drillsten inches apart, and transplant the next spring to a dry soil of but medium richness, and it will be more highly aromatic. Give each plant about two feet of space ; for drying gather the flowers before they begin to fade in the least. Mentha—Mint. Mentha Piperita—PEPPERMINT. A perennial; a native of Europe. It has a strong, agreeable odor, a pungent, aromatic taste, giving a sensa- tion of coldness in the mouth. Its medical properties are aromatic, stimulant, and stomachic. It is much used to 294 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. “obviate nausea and relieve flatulent colic. The essential oil and essence are the forms in which it is employed in medicine, and they are also largely used in confectionery and cordials. Mentha Viridis—SPEARMINT. Is a European perennial, and belongs rather to the culinary than the medicinal department of the garden. It is employed in sauces and salads, as well as dried for soups in winter. scare eps 0.36 Sulphuric ‘Acid, 4.19} 1.51 3,44 0.58] . 12.12) 15.12 6.18 8.07 Carbonic oe Lime,.. .-.-| 42.17| 23.26) 38.48 0.11 14.77| 16.80} 31.98 24.64 Magnesia, se->| 2.46) 6,40 2.91 0.01 8.00) 1.38 6.00 9.76 Phosphate Pe- rox. Iron,...| 0.45} 0.82) § 49 49 1.02 2.47| 1.33 1.60 0.60 Phosph. Lime,.| 18.79] 29.19 18.10) 10.44) 17.98] 8.50) 13.20 Phosph. Mag- nesia,....... G.cih Saveay! ) ec Lys 30.001 3.15 0.02] 0.20! 0.20 Organic matter| 3.80) 5.20 3.60 2.59 0.86) 6°61 5.00) 8.40 Insoluble Sili-| CAs osc pont, Adal, As 9-40 6.46 6.42} 10.00 4 30 1.00 COAG Peery e TAs. 25532 WAQES PR OSs 4.48) ..... 1.00 1.20 109.04 104.97! 104.562 ° 89.02'. 104.99 86.85] 128.77 99.03 * Analysis made with two grains of ash. t Peach limbs half an inch in diameter. 308 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Lime, potash, and the phosphates, are the chief elements the peach requires in the soil. Bone-dust and wood-ashes are valuable applications, much more suitable than com- mon animal manures. They may be dressed with compost of woods earth (leaf-mould), or swamp-muck, if the soil is very poor. When the trees are planted, the holes may be made large, and enriched with well-decayed manure, to give a good growth of wood. For this purpose, guano is an ex- cellent application; but it is fatal to the tree, if it touch the roots. I have applied it, with success, to all kinds of fruit trees. After the holes are dug, a little guano is sprinkled in the hole; this is covered at least two inches deep with fresh loam, on which the tree is placed. If the soil is very sandy, two inches might not be sufficient to protect the roots. When the roots are entirely cov- ered, another sprinkling may be given, which is covered over with more earth. ‘Two or three tablespoonfuls are sufficient for a tree, and but a small quantity is re- quired for a large orchard. Jor this purpose. as well as manuring most shrubs, rose bushes, &c., few applications are so cheap or so satisfactory. But guano must not touch the roots, in its dry, caustic state. After the tree begins to fruit, application of lime,ashes or leaf-mould are much better than those which excite rank growth, since they do not impair the flavor of the fruit, or induce decay. The peach is best propagated by budding and grafting upon seedling peach stocks. There are, however, many varieties, of the clings particularly,that can be raised true to their kind by planting the seed, especially if the tree from which the stone is taken stands apart from other vari- eties. It is believed that the stone of a seedling,is more apt to reproduce its kind than if taken from the fruit of a budded or grafted tree. Seedlings often escape frosts THE PEACH. 809 that are fatal to the finer varieties; but the highest fla- vored seedlings are often quite as susceptible of injury as those budded or grafted. High-flavored varieties are usually tender. Plum stocks are recommended by foreign writers; but they are of little use in this climate, for the graft soon out- grows the stock and breaks off. Peach stocks are raised by planting the stones two or three inches deep, in the autumn or winter. If the stones are cracked, they are more sure to grow. Abundance of stocks can often be secured by taking the volunteers that spring up under the trees early in the spring, when about an inch high, and transplanting in rows two and a half feet apart and sixteen inches in the row. Plant them in good soil, where they will grow rapidly ; for on this, more than anything else, the success of budding depends. If the sea- son is good, the best will do to bud in June. When the bud starts, the top may be headed down, and if the stocks are vigorous, they will make sufficient growth to be fit for transplanting the next winter. Budding may be continued, while the bark rises freely, until the first of October; the last will make no growth until spring, It should, however, be performed as early as the stocks will admit. It is best in budding, when you do not wish to preserve the scion a day or two, to leave a portion of the leaf, say half an inch, attached with the leaf-stalk to the bud, as it attracts the sap, and the bud is more likely to take. The bud should be put in the north side of the stock, to screen it from the sun. Any of the trees which have failed in taking the bud may be taken up, and grafted in the root the ensuing winter; a mode of propagation which for- tunately succeeds well here, as it enables us to procure scions of valuable varieties, in a dormant state, from all sections of the Union. 310 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Peach trees raised or varieties originating in the North- ern States, are not at all unfitted for our climate. We know of .trees from the North, imported in 1836, and others almost every year since, growing side by side with good native varieties, and giving as profitable results. It will be many years, before we get twenty-five as good southern varieties that ripen in succession as can be selected from any nursery catalogue. Still every superior variety—especially of those that ripen late, for such can- not be procured at the North—should be disseminated at once. It sometimes happens that a fruit which originates in one locality, is better fitted for some other section. Some few European varieties of fruits are found to suc- ceed better on this continent than even where they origi- nated. Peach trees, in transplanting, are usually set twenty feet apart each way ; which gives one hundred and eight trees to the acre. They may, if shortened in yearly, be set out fifteen feet apart, which will give one hundred and ninety-three trees, or in small gardens twelve feet, giving three hundred and two trees per acre. In gardens, fifteen feet is generally the best distance. Peaches are so much alike in general character—the difference in‘ outline, color, flavor, and texture being less than with other fruits, it is necessary in order to determine the name of a variety, to resort to other methods of dis- tinction. The two most obvious divisions are into free-stones and cling-stones ; or, as we call them, soft and plum peaches— the flesh of the former parting freely from the stone, and being of a melting consistency ; and that of the latter ad- hering to the stone, and being of a firmer texture. The English name these divisions, melters and pavies. Both these grand divisions are subdivided into classes according THE PEACH. 311 to the color of the flesh—viz.: those with light-colored and those with deep-yellow flesh. These classes are again _ subdivided into three sections. At the base of the leaf, of some varieties, will be found small glands which are either round and regular, or oblong and irregular, or kidney-shaped; while others have no glands, but are more deeply cut or serrated like the teeth of a saw. SERRATED AND GLANDLESS. GLOBOSE GLANDS. RENIFORM GLANDS Hence the three sections, viz.: 1., Leaves serrated with- ont glands, a.; 2. Leaves with small, round, or globose glands, b.; 3. Leaves with large irregular reniform glands, c. From the blossom, another characteristic is derived, giving us two subsections. The first embracing large flowers, red in the centre, and pale at the margin. The second, small flowers, tinged with dark at the margin. Most of the native peaches, in this vicinity, belong to the first class; but the great mass of the finest fruits have small flowers. Varieties.—The following varieties have been tried in in this vicinity, and are found among the most desirable. They are classed pretty much in the order of ripening.* A full list of good clingstones in succession, from the _ ™ In 1852, two or three weeks earlier than the next year; so the times of ripening, and even the order cannot be fully relied on. 312 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. beginning to the end of the peach season is yet to be obtained. All named are good bearers. Columbus June—Glands reniform ; flowers small ; fruit medium to large, flattened, or slightly hollowed at the apex ; suture shallow; skin pale yellowish white, with rich, red cheek ; flesh slightly red at stone, melting, juicy, and high-flavored; excellent; ripens here 20th June productive. JL’ree. Serrate Early York.—Leaves serrate, glandless ; flowers large ; fruit—size medium, roundish oval; suture slight ; skin thickly dotted with pale red on a greenish-white ground, in the shade—dark red in the sun; flesh greenish-white, tender, melting, full of rich, slightly acid juice ; ripens 20th June. L’ree. Walter’s Early—Glands globose ; flowers small; size above medium; color, nearly white, with a fine red cheek; flesh, whitish, slightly red at stone—meltine, juicy, sweet, and fine-flavored; not so easily injured by frost as some others; likes sandy soils; succeeds as far south as Mobile; ripens Ist of July- Lee. Early Newington Free—Glands globose ; flowers small; . fruit medium to large, round; suture distinct; one half larger than the other; skin yellowish-white, dotted and streaked with red; cheek rich red; flesh white, red at stone, to which it partially adheres ; juicy, melting, and vinous. Ripens early in July. Grosse Mignonne-—Glands globose ; flowers large; fruit large, roundish, apex, depressed, suture distinct ; skin dull white, mottled with red, and with a purplish red cheek ; flesh red at the stone, melting, juicy; with a rich, high vinous flavor; stone small, very rough; perhaps, the best free-stone peach in cultivation; ripens July 8th. If it has a rival it is George [V.—Glands globose; flowers small; fruit large, . — Pee | THE PEACH. 313 round, with broad suture; skin white, dotted with red, and rich, dark-red cheek; flesh pale, melting, very juicy, with rich, luscious flavor; stone small; ripens July 8th. Free. Crawford's Early—Glands globose; flowers small; a yellow-flesh peach ; fruit very large, oblong, with a pro- minent, swollen point ; skin yellow, with a fine, red cheek ; flesh yellow, melting, sweet, and excellent; ripens middle of July. Free. Belle de Beaucaire—Glands globose; flowers small; fruit very large, roundish, with protruding point, suture shallow, but distinctly marked ; skin light-yellowish green, with cheek slightly reddened. Flesh pale greenish yellow red at the stone, a little coarse, but melting and deli- cious, full of rich, vinous juice; skin slips readily from the flesh, without the use of a knife; ripens last of July. free. Variable, but in perfection most excellent. Old Mixon Ciing—Glands globose; flowers small ; fruit large, roundish oval; suture at top ; skin yellowish white, dotted with red, red cheek; flesh light, melting, juicy, with a rich, high, luscious flavor. Ripens last of July and early in August. There is no better peach known. Late Red Rareripe—Glands globose; fiowers small ; fruit large, roundish, oval; skin downy, grayish-white, marbled with red in the sun; flesh pale, juicy, melting, and of a rich, luscious flavor. Ripens last of July. Late Admirable—Glands globose; flowers small; fruit large, roundish, oval; suture distinct ; apex swollen, acute ; skin pale, yellowish-green, with pale, red cheek, marbled with darker red; flesh pale, melting, and fine-flavored ; Ripens 10th to 15th August. ree. A superb peach. Crawford’s Late.—Glands globose; flowers small; a magnificent yellow peach; very large, roundish; suture shallow, but distinct; skin yellow, with dark red cheek; 14 oie GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. flesh deep yellow, red at stone; juicy and melting, with rich, vinous flavor; early in August. Lee. Newington Cling —Leaves serrate ; flowers large; fruit large, roundish; suture slight; skin pale yellowish-white, with fine, red cheek ; flesh pale, yellowish-white, deep-red at the stone; melting, juicy, and rich. A cling. Ripens 10th August. Lemon Cling.—Glands reniform; flowers small; leaves long; fruit large, oblong, narrowed at top, with a swollen projecting-point ; skin rich, dark-yellow, reddened in the © sun ; flesh fine yellow, red at the stone, with a rich vinous flavor. Ripens 10th of August. Cling. Pitt’s Lemon- Cling is an improvement on the above. President—Glands globose; large, roundish, oval; su- ture shallow; skin downy, pale, yellowish-green, with a dull, red cheek ; flesh pale, but deep red at the stone, very juicy, melting, and high-flavored; stone very rough. Middle of August. L’ree. Yellow Blanton-Cling —Leaves large; glands globose ; Fruit large, and shaped like Lemon-Cling, with the same projecting, swollen point ; skin rich orange, with a slightly reddened cheek; flesh orange yellow; firm, but full of a delicious vinous juice. Later and better than the Le- mon-Cling. ‘To my taste the best of the clings. Repro- : duces itself from seed. Ripens August 10th. ? Tippecance-Cling.—-Glands reniform; flowers small; fruit very large, nearly round, with a point; skin yellow, with fine red cheek ; flesh yellow, juicy, with fine, vinous flavor. Ripe the last of August. White English-Cling.—-Glands globulose ; flowers small ; fruit very large oval; suture slight, with a swollen point at top; skin clear creamy white, with a slight hue of red on the sunny side; flesh delicate white, free from red at the stone, to which it firmly adheres; very rich, juicy, THE PEACH. 8t5 and high flavored. As it is free from color, one of the best for preserving in sugar or brandy. Doubtless ori- ginated from the Heath Cling, with which it is almost identical. - Baugh—Leaves with globose glands; fruit medium, roundish, terminated with a small point; suture obscure ; skin pale yellow, almost white, with a slight blush to- wards the sun; flesh yellowish white, melting and juicy, with a sweet, pleasant flavor. Free. Ripens 1st October. Baldwin's Late. Free.—¥ruit large, oblong, with a distinct swollen point at the top; skin greenish white, with a slight red cheek; flesh very firm, juicy, melting, and well flavored. Ripe last of October, and will keep several weeks in the house. Freestone.* —Disseminated by Dr. Baldwin, of Mont- gomery. Edward’s Late White and Pride of Autumn ; the latter especially, are described as excellent late Peaches. Lady Parham, Mr. Afflech writes, is the only October Peach he knows of first rate quality. Free. Scott’s Late October is said by Mr. Summer to be a large Cling, with a dingy greenish skin; flesh firm and remarkably sweet, ripening last of October. While this work is going through the press, Mr. Nelson, ‘in the Southern Cultivator, gives the following select list as those his large experience proves most desirable :— May Peach—Ripens last of May. Small white; flesh _ white, sweet and pleasant. Free. Early Anne-——Round, pure white, small size, very juicy and delicious. Ripens first week in June. Free. Early Tillotson—Ripens 15th June. LHarly York (Serrate)—Ripens 20th June. Flew- ellen—The earliest Cling; flesh deep red, exceedingly % Nelson. 516 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. juicy and refreshing, of high, vinous flavor. Ripens July Ist. Yellow Rareripe—tLarge, deep orange, juicy ai well flavored. Ripens July 4th—free. Walter's Ea —Ripens July 8th. Gross Mignonne—Ripens Jul Vanzandt’s Superb—White, nearly covered wi juicy, melting, and high flavored. Ripens July 1 ‘tender for market—tfree. Bergen’s Yellow— Yellow Peaches; dingy yellow, covered with dé red; flesh orange, very juicy—free. Ripens Ju Crawford's Early—Ripens July 12th. Red Ra Resembles Gross Mignonne externally; a week later; tender for market, but delicious for home use. J] July 16th. George Fourth. Old Mixon Free. July 18th. Very juicy and fine. Congress Cling — Old Mixon Cling, large, very juicy, sweet, and well fl ed; excellent for market. Ripens July 20th. leon.—Large, oblong, skin dingy green, considerabl ered with red; flesh firm, marbled with blood red, juicy and rich. Ripens July 20th. Green Cathe Large, oblong, creamy white, with red cheeks, firm and delicious. Ripens July 20th—free. te 4 ble—Ripens July 20th. Greevoort—Large, rm, well flavored—free. Ripens July 20th. Pres, d ot Ripens July 24th. Crawford's Late—Ripens July Columbia, or Pace—Ripens August 3d. Druid A Greenish white, slight red cheek, juicy, melting and Ripens August 8th. Newington Cling—Creamy wl red cheek, red at stone, very juicy and well flavor Ripens August 10th. Late Rareripe—Greyish gree marbled with red, very downy, dark red cheek, juicy, mel ing and rich. Ripens August 10th. Lemon Ching.— Ripens August 20th. Lagrange——Large, oblong, very downy; skin pure white, marked with dark spots; flesh white, firm, and juicy—free. Ripens August 20th. THE NECTARINE. 817 Amydalus Vulgaris Var Levis—NectT ARINE. Phe nectarine is merely a variety of the peach with a hskin. It is impossible to distinguish the tree from , except that the fruit is without down. The same ristics of the leaf, flower, &c., which are used to the varieties of the peach, are brought into re- in distinguishing those of the nectarine. arines usually produce nectarines from the seed : Boston nectarine originated from a peach stone. s tree is cultivated and pruned like the peach, and pagated by budding or grafting on peach stocks. eat difficulty in raising nectarines (and the same is the apricot), is the cureulio. The smooth skin of muits offers an inviting place for this insect to de- The injured fruit may be known by being h a small semi-circular impression as if eut with ail.” It is useless to plant the nectarine or ecially in sandy soils, unless the trees are daily and the insects collected on sheets as they fall, diately destroyed. A limb may be cut off the d the stump hit a few times with a mallet smartly, if gently shaken the insect will not loose its hold. another very good method is to plant the plums, 01 Ps and nectarines by themselves, and admit poultry, (Swine to eat the fallen fruit, which will, if other fruit lens are not contiguous, protect the crop the succeed- gyear.* The borer infests the nectarine as well as the & In preventing the curculio, I am inclined to think that fowls are much more serviceable than swine. The latter are of less use the current season, and mostly beneficial as regards the ensuing crop; ‘but the chickens and ducks will take the perfect insect, whenever ee falls upon the earth, or rises from it in the spring. 318 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. peach. Aside from the curculio, the nectarine is as hardy and easily raised as the peach ; though scarcely equal to the best peaches in flavor. Fine fruit is not to be ex- — pected unless the trees are shortened-in annually, as di- rected for the peach. The analysis of the nectarine scarcely differs from the peach—it requires exactly the same soil. The best varieties are: SAPS Hunt’s Tawny—Leaves serrate; flowers small; fruit, medium size, roundish, oval, with swollen point ; skin pale. orange; dark red in the sun, mottled with russet specks ; flesh orange, juicy, melting, andrich; a good bearer. Ripens 10th July. Free. | Violette Hative or Early Violet.—Glands reniform ; flowers small; fruit, large, roundish, pale, yellowish-green, with purplish red cheek, mottled with brown; flesh whitish-red at the stone, melting, juicy, and delicious. Ripens 20th July. . Downton —Glands reniform ; fruit, large, roundish-oval : skin, pale green, red at the stone, melting, and most deli- cious. Ripens 20th to 25th of July. Elruge. — Glands reniform; flower small; fruit me- dium, roundish-oval; suture slight; skin pale-green, with deep violet, or blood-red cheek, and minute brown specks; flesh pale-green, pale-red at stone, melting, juicy, and rich ; stone oval, rough, and pale-colored. Ripens July 25th. Boston.—Glands globose; flower small; fruit, large, roundish-oval ; skin, bright yellow, with deep-red cheek ; flesh yellow, not rich but sweet and pleasant. Ripens last of July. New White-—Glands reniform ; flower large; fruit large, nearly round ; skin white, with slight tinge of red in the sun; flesh, white, tender, juicy, vinous, and rich; stone small. Ripens Ist of August. ~~ THE APRICOT. 819 The best Clingstone nectarine is the Early Newington ; and the best of ali nectarines is said to be the Stanwick, the quality of which is yet to be ascertained in this coun- try. 'Temple’s issaid also to be a fine variety. Armeniaca Vulgaris—APRICOT. The apricot is a fruit somewhat resembling both the plum and the peach. The tree is ornamental as well as useful; larger than the plum, with glossy, heart-shaped, large leaves, and white blossoms, which appear so early that they are often cut off by frosts. But as with the nectarine, the great obstacle to its culture is the curculio, which may be warded off as in the case of that fruit. In favorable seasons, when protected from the curculio, the apricot is exceedingly productive. The apricot is a native of Armenia, and other parts of Central Asia. In quality it is second only to the peach; but coming earlier (with the earliest plums) it is very ac- ceptable. For jellies, tarts, and preserving in brandy or sugar, it is much esteemed, and is excellent when dried as directed for the peach. The apricot is generally budded on the plum stock. It is sometimes propagated on its own root, and also upon the peach. The plum is the hardier stock, and produces the best tree. It may be.root-grafted on the Chickasaw plum by the method of whip-grafting. Those propagated by seed, are usually very hardy and productive. On the peach stock, the tree is liable to be destroyed by the borer, and the fruit is inferior. Apricots are so apt to bloom too early in the spring, that it is better to plant them in northern exposures where they will be retarded in blooming, by the shade of build- ings there is less danger of severe frost. It is just as necessary to shorten in the young branches of the apricot 320 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. as those of the peach. ‘The best soil is a deep loam ; eul- tivate and manure the same as the plum or peach. I can find no analysis. The hardiest Apricots are Dubois, Orange, and Breda. The best varieties are : Dubois and Early.—Fruit small, roundish-oval; pale orange; moderately juicy, sweet and good; very produc- tive and hardy. Ripens early in June. Large Early.—Fruit medium size, oblong and eom- pressed; suture deep; skin sligtly downy, pale orange in the shade; bright orange or ruddy in the sun; flesh separates freely from the stone, orange colored; rich and juicy ; kernel bitter. Ripens 10th of June. Orange. — Fruit medium, roundish, with suture hollowed at the stalk ; skin firm, orange, with a ruddy tinge; flesh dark orange, rather dry and somewhat adhesive to the stone, which is small and roundish ; kernel sweet; not first rate; but excellent for tarts, preserving or drying, and often bears a full crop when others fail. Ripens June 10th Breda.— Small roundish, deep orange — darker in the sun; flesh deep-orange, high-flavored, rich and juicy ; separating from the stone; kernel edible. A native of Africa, hardy, productive and fine for dessert or preserves. Ripens middle of June. Peach—¥ ruit very large, size of a medium peach, round- ish, sides compressed, and with a distinet suture ; skin yel- low, but deep orange mottled withbrown in the sun; flesh deep yellow, juicy, rich, and delicious. The finest variety in cultivation ; stone perforated. Ripens last of June. Moorpark.— Large roundish oval; skin orange, with ruddy cheek; flesh bright orange, free from stone; juicy and of rich luscious flavor; stone perforated. Hardly differs from the preceding, except in being not quite so large and a little later. Ripens 21st of July. Very productive. CHESTNUT AND OTHER NUTS. 321 Castanea, etc —CHESTNUT AND OTHER NotTs. ’ There are several kinds of nuts worthy of cultivation by every planter, many of which are ornamental shade trees, besides being valuable for the fruit they yield. For con- venience we class them all under one head. Castanea Vesca.—'The Chestnut is a lofty forest tree, and common to both continents. ‘The Spanish Chestnut, or Marron produces avery large, sweet nut, and is propa- gated by grafting on the common sorts. There are several varieties of this, of which “ Marron de Lyon” is the best. It will bear the second year from the graft. Chestnuts are difficult to transplant when taken from the woods. The improved varieties are much superior to the wild sorts. The Chestnut as a shade tree is very effective in landscape gardening. Carya Alba.—Shell Bark Hickory. This tree is found in fertile soils all over the Union, producing the common thin shell white hickory nut. The tree is very regular and beautiful for ornamental purposes. There is consider- able difference in the size and flavor of different varieties. It is generally propagated by seed. The largest and finest flavored varieties only should be planted. Carya Oliveforma, or Pecan nut, is still more worthy of cultivation. Corylus Avellana (Filberts)—are generally raised from layers. They should not be allowed to sucker, but trained to form low heads near the ground, which should be kept tolerably open, and the young shoots shortened back every spring. Of the varieties: Cosford is a large, oblong, oval nut, with a thin shell and of fine flavor. Prolific. Frizzled, known by its frizzled husk, nut of medium 14* oa? GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. size; oval, compressed, husk, hairy, shell thick; kernel sweet and good. Productive. Red Filbert, known by the crimson skin of the kernel, medium sized, ovate, thick shelled, sweet agreeable kernel, husk long. White Filbert—Like the last, but with a light yellow or white skin. Husk long and tubular, nuts ovate. Juglaus Regia —Maderia nut is a fine lofty tree, with a handsome spreading head, producing the well-known nuts of the shops. It is produced from the seed or by grafting. Likes a rich moist sail. Juglaus Praeparturiens is similar to the above, but bears when three years old, and is valuable on this account for the garden. Juglaus Nigra, or Black Walnut, should also have a place in the grounds as a fine shade-tree as well as for its nuts. Prstacia Vera (The Pistaco nut)—An ornamental tree, producing agreeable flavored nuts, is much cultivated in Southern Europe. The tree is dicecious, so that to pro- duce, the male and female trees must be planted together. The nuts are oval, the size of the olive, slightly furrowed, with a mild flavored, oily nut. They begin to be produced when the tree is five or six years old. The tree itself grows to the height of fifteen or twenty feet. Nuts of this tree have been distributed in various parts of the Union by the Patent Office, and the tree will be likely to suc- ceed in the low country. . Cerasus Vulgaris—CHERRY. The Cherry, it is said, was brought from Asia, by Lu- cullus, the Roman General; and from Rome, its culture spread over Europe. In cooler latitudes, some of the va- rieties are quite ornamental. on account of their fine foli- age and early white blossoms; but it stops growing and THE CHERRY. $23 drops its leaves too early in this climate to be esteemed for this purpose. The Cherry, in favorable climates, is highly esteemed as a pleasant and refreshing fruit. The rich, luscious flavor of some varieties; and the delicacy and juiciness of oth- ers, renders it a very desirable dessert fruit. The tender acid sorts are preserved in sugar or brandy, and are excel- lent for pies and tarts; dried slowly by artificial heat, with the addition of sugar, the stones being removed; they are excellent for winter use. Cherry gum is very similar to Gum Arabic. The Cherry is a very difficult fruit to bring to perfection in the South, except the common Mo- rello; and even this does not average a really good yield oftener than once in two or three years. It likes a mel- low loam, so deeply trenched that it will not suffer from drought, and pretty well enriched. A thin mulching of chip manure or tan bark about the roots, is a beneficial application. I havé been able to obtain an analysis of the fruit and stalk only, which is by Richardscon : CHERRY. Entire Fruit. Stalk. Potassa, . ; 51.85 42.66 Soda, . F ‘ Piet, ts ee OT Lime, - ; : : TAT 22.29 Magnesia, . ; ; wt) BAG 6 B71 Sulphuric Acid, ‘ 3 5.09.4 2:98 Silicie Es : ; », < 904 = 2.09 Phosphoric“. 14.21 14.89 Phosph. of Sesquioxide of Iron, 3.74 2.35 Chloride of Iron, f Sie > 9 2a 100.00 99.00 Per-centage of ash 7 ose 28 824 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. Cherries are generally budded or grafted on the Maz- zard or wild European stock, though the Mahaleb or per- fumed cherry stock, is far better here. Our common Mo- rello seems to do better for stocks here, than the Mazzard. If grafted, it must be done very early in the spring, as well as all other stone fruits. Cherry trees must be cut back so low when planted, that they will throw out branches within eight or ten inches of the soil, in order to shade the roots and trunk; then keep them shortened-in, like the peach. Without this mode of training, it is use- less for us to plant the finer varieties, as the sun will kill them by scorching the bark. They should be planted in a cool situation, as the north side of a building, or on any northern exposure, where they will be screened from the mid-day sun, as the young fruit is. liable to Blight from heat, as well as the tree to be injured. If caterpillars, or insects of any kind attack the foliage, they must be exterminated by some of the modes given under the head of insects. The bug is best destroyed by throwing ashes or lime up among the leaves, or syring- ing with soap and tobacco. After the cherry arrives at maturity, the finer kinds are generally stolen by the birds, against which, powder and shot is the most effectual remedy. Dwarf trees may be protected by nets. it is not probable that the cherry will be very success- fully cultivated in the South, until we have varieties raised here from seed, that are adapted to our wants. Cherry seed should be planted immediately, because if they become dry, they seldom grow. Of the varieties described below, the Elton, May Duke, and common Morello, have borne fine crops here. The Kentish, Late Kentish, Belle Magnifique, Reine Hortenso, and English Morello, will probably prove as hardy as THE CHERRY. 325 the common Morello; while Downer’s Late, Kirtland’s Mary, Gov. Wood and Rockport Bigarrean, are American seedlings, and with the Black Heart, are likely to suc- ceed as well as the Elton. Time of ripening can be given only of the Elton and May Duke. The Duke and Mo- rello cherries are the hardiest in our climate. May Duke.—F ruit, roundish, medial size and in clusters; skin lively red at first, dark red when ripe. Flesh, red- dish, tender, melting, very juicy, rich and excellent when fully ripe. Ripens early in May. The best for this climate. Doctor.—A heart cherry, small, roundish, heart-shape, distinct suture, bright yellow and red blended and mot- tled. Flesh, white, tender and juicy, with a sweet de- lightful flavor. Worthy of trial here. Reckport Bigarrean.—Very large, heart-shaped ; color, deep red on amber ground; flesh, yellowish, fine, juicy, with a sweet, rich flavor. Elton—Very large; acute, heart-shaped ; skin, thin, pale yellow, with a cheek mottled with bright red; stalk, long and slender; flesh, firm at first, becoming tender, juicy, with a rich, luscious flavor. Has produced good crops here, in a northern exposure, the past two seasons (1852-3). Ripens May 10th to 20th. Kentish.—Fruit, small to medium, round, a little flat- tened, borne in pairs; skin, fine bright red, growing dark when fully ripe; stalk, one and a fourth inches long, stoutly set in pretty deep hollow; flesh, melting, juicy and of a rich, acid, sprightly flavor. A hardy sort and excellent for cooking, &c. Late Kentish—Resembles the above, but is two weeks later, a little larger and excellent for cooking, preserving, and drying. Kurtland’s Mary = large, roundish heart-shaped, 326 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. light and dark red marbled on a yellow ground; stalk, moderate size; flesh, light yellow, half tender, rich, juicy, with a sweet, high flavor. Black Heart—ULarge, heart-shaped; skin, glossy, dark purple, changing to black when ripe; stalk, one inch and a half long, in a moderate cavity ; flesh, half tender, be- coming, when ripe, tender and juicy, with a rich, sweet flavor. ‘ ¢ i ‘ ‘ Tesi ‘ H ’ Aztce | t Ups : ieuat . st ‘ ' tes ‘ A \ i t Her 8 ‘ ! Area wened ; ' ‘ ‘ ; Cite) i é # ‘ betes Peres (argues HA ‘ tours i ' re ' ' tee hs§ Fike see PEPE SUE pet phi WEEE NE ETY it ‘ ‘ . eres Paarl PULSE pte lar fae ‘ ‘ roeP se tb if ve i ’ bal Feu 1 Shhasay Webern 1 OLED bE ae upp iitoty seg ‘ bias H ' Wee HEL Eh etn § a“ “ Sv i‘ eee pe yy wags eft pel 4 7 EMitadicwee Sey Tre Rtas ' ' ‘ \ ‘4 Pei i pte PWS Heri pee ey tefplae ad § yeh ‘ vet ‘ H tye 020%) { . . $k ‘ ’ ‘ Sean ¥ 4 ‘ tsa rit a ape bd) ‘ chan 74 eat ayt { Ups h bm 1 \ tyebiaes ee F i heats eet i 14 aed t 4 ‘ out ete . i ' ‘ i 1 4 wen ‘ Hn rea oa ot ae es ot ‘ ‘ re lv Weel ‘ wre; y ‘ i ene i ‘ Me PA ri: ; Fades Caleb be i bpp haa 4 thei 4 ' TE t ‘ ' ! ' eeture ' ‘ i ‘ pebat i H rhea H tana al ‘ { hed be, ‘ i i wi ; Nip tat Pea Oe is j iT ' " t 1, bEb i 1 j j ety y ' fon ‘ ‘ ' ' @4r ba i; F igi ' ets aa ' é { ' ut tee P t pra irateranr irs feat ttldged beh Teeny ied i ‘ iriat finniit i i ge eye VUsb ae GAMO EY eben 6) ; ie 7 ’ hee 4 pif odes: 1 ‘ i f 7 a hee ieee has oe ae ah L £4 rata) ry aed i) k yi ‘He i