Chapter XII: Miscellaneous Vegetables (1)

Alkekengi, or Ground Cherry. Corn. Egg-plant. Martynia. Oil Radish. Okra, or Gumbo. Pepper. Rhubarb, or Pie-plant. Sunflower. Tobacco. Tomato.

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ALKEKENGI.

Strawberry Tomato. Winter Cherry. Ground Cherry. Barbadoes Gooseberry. Physalis edulis.

A hardy annual plant from Central or Tropical America. Stem angular, very much branched, but not erect,--in good soils, attaining a length or height of more than three feet; leaves large, triangular; flowers solitary, yellow, spotted or marked with purple, and about half an inch in diameter; fruit rounded or obtuse-heart-shaped, half an inch in diameter, yellow, and semi-transparent at maturity, enclosed in a peculiar thin, membranous, inflated, angular calyx, or covering, which is of a pale-green color while the fruit is forming, but at maturity changes to a dusky-white or reddish-drab. The pedicel, or fruit-stem, is weak and slender; and most of the berries fall spontaneously to the ground at the time of ripening.

The seeds are small, yellow, lens-shaped, and retain their germinative properties three years.

The plants are exceedingly prolific, and will thrive in almost any description of soil. Sow at the same time, and thin or transplant to the same distance, as practised in the cultivation of the Tomato. On land where it has been grown, it springs up spontaneously in great abundance, and often becomes troublesome in the garden.

_Use._--The fruit has a juicy pulp, and, when first tasted, a pleasant, strawberry-like flavor, with a certain degree of sweetness and acidity intermixed. The after-taste is, however, much less agreeable, and is similar to that of the Common Tomato.

By many the fruit is much esteemed, and is served in its natural state at the table as a dessert. With the addition of lemon-juice, it is sometimes preserved in the manner of the plum, as well as stewed and served like cranberries.

If kept from the action of frost, the fruit retains its natural freshness till March or April.

PURPLE ALKEKENGI.

Purple Ground Cherry. Purple Strawberry Tomato. Purple Winter Cherry. Physalis sp.

This species grows naturally and abundantly in some of the Western States. The fruit is roundish, somewhat depressed, about an inch in diameter, of a deep purple color, and enclosed in the membranous covering peculiar to the genus.

Compared with the preceding species, the fruit is more acid, less perfumed, and not so palatable in its crude state, but by many considered superior for preserving. The plant is less pubescent, but has much the same habit, and is cultivated in the same manner.

TALL ALKEKENGI.

Tall Ground Cherry. Tall Strawberry Tomato. Physalis pubescens.

Stem about four feet high, erect and branching; leaves oval, somewhat triangular, soft and velvety; flowers yellow, spotted with deep purple; fruit yellow, of the size of the Common Yellow Alkekengi, enclosed in an angular, inflated calyx, and scarcely distinguishable from the last named.

It is grown from seeds, which are sown like those of the Tomato. It is later, and much less prolific, than the species first described.

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CORN.

Zea mays.

_Garden and Table Varieties._--

ADAMS'S EARLY WHITE.

A distinct and well-marked table variety. Ears seven to eight inches in length, two inches in diameter, twelve or fourteen rowed, and rather abruptly contracted at the tips; kernel white, rounded, somewhat deeper than broad, and indented at the exterior end, which is whiter and less transparent than the interior or opposite extremity. The depth and solidity of the kernel give great comparative weight to the ear; and, as the cob is of small size, the proportion of product is unusually large.

In its general appearance, the ear is not unlike some descriptions of Southern or Western field-corn; from which, aside from its smaller dimensions, it would hardly be distinguishable. In quality, it cannot be considered equal to some of the shrivelled-kernelled, sweet descriptions, but will prove acceptable to those to whom the peculiar, sugary character of these may be objectionable. Though later than the Jefferson or Darlings, it is comparatively early, and may be classed as a good garden variety.

Much grown for early use and the market in the Middle States, but less generally known or cultivated in New England.

BLACK SWEET.

Slate Sweet.

Plant, in height and general habit, similar to Darling's Early; ears six to eight inches in length, uniformly eight-rowed; kernels roundish, flattened, deep slate-color, much shrivelled at maturity. Early.

The variety is sweet, tender, and well flavored; remains a long period in condition for use; and, aside from its peculiar color (which by some is considered objectionable), is well worthy of cultivation.

BURR'S IMPROVED.

Burr's Sweet.

An improved variety of the Twelve-rowed Sweet. The ears are from twelve to sixteen rowed, rarely eighteen, and, in good soils and seasons, often measure eight or ten inches in length, nearly three inches in diameter, and weigh, when in condition for the table, from eighteen to twenty-two ounces; cob white; kernel rounded, flattened, pure white at first, or while suitable for use,--becoming wrinkled, and changing to dull, yellowish, semi-transparent white, when ripe.

The variety is hardy and productive; and, though not early, usually perfects its crop. For use in its green state, plantings may be made to the 20th of June.

The kernel is tender, remarkably sugary, hardens slowly, is thin-skinned, and generally considered much superior to the Common Twelve-rowed.

It is always dried or ripened for seed with much difficulty; often moulding or decaying before the glazing or hardening of the kernel takes place. If the crop is sufficiently advanced as not to be injured by freezing, it will ripen and dry off best upon the stalks in the open ground; but if in the milk, or still soft and tender at the approach of freezing weather, it should be gathered and suspended, after being husked, in a dry and airy room or building, taking care to keep the ears entirely separate from each other.

DARLING'S EARLY.

Darling's Early Sweet.

Stalk about five feet in height, and comparatively slender; the ears are from six to eight inches in length, an inch and a half in diameter, and, when the variety is unmixed, uniformly eight-rowed; the kernels are roundish, flattened, pure white when suitable for boiling,--much shrivelled or wrinkled, and of a dull, semi-transparent yellow, when ripe; the cob is white.

The variety is early, very tender and sugary, yields well, produces little fodder, ears near the ground, and is one of the best sorts for planting for early use, as it seldom, if ever, fails to perfect its crop. In the Middle States, and in the milder sections of New England, it may be planted for boiling until near the beginning of July.

The hills are made three feet apart in one direction by two feet and a half in the opposite; or the seeds may be planted in drills three feet apart, dropping them in groups of three together every eighteen inches.

EARLY JEFFERSON.

Stalk five to six feet high, producing one or two ears, which are of small size, eight-rowed, and measure six or eight inches in length, and about an inch and a half in diameter at the largest part; cob white; kernel white, roundish, flattened,--the surface of a portion of the ear, especially near its tip, often tinged with a delicate shade of rose-red. The kernel retains its color, and never shrivels or wrinkles, in ripening.

The variety is hardy and productive, but is principally cultivated on account of its early maturity; though, in this respect, it is little, if at all, in advance of Darling's. The quality is tender and good, but much less sugary than the common shrivelled varieties; on which account, however, it is preferred by some palates. It remains but a short time tender and in good condition for boiling; soon becoming hard, glazed, and unfit for use.

GOLDEN SWEET.

Golden Sugar.

Stalk and general habit similar to Darling's Early; ears six to eight inches long, an inch and a half or an inch and three-fourths in diameter, regularly eight-rowed; the kernel, when ripe, is semi-transparent yellow.

The variety is apparently a hybrid between the Common Yellow or Canada Corn and Darling's Early. In flavor, as well as appearance, both of these varieties are recognized. It does not run excessively to stalk and foliage, yields well, is hardy, and seldom fails to ripen perfectly in all sections of New England. For boiling in its green state, plantings may be made until the last week of June or first of July.

In respect to quality, it is quite tender, sweet, and well flavored, but less sugary than most of the other sugar or sweet varieties.

OLD COLONY. _Hov. Mag._

This variety was originated by the late Rev. A. R. Pope, of Somerville, Mass. At the time of its production, he was a resident of Kingston, Plymouth County, Mass.; and, in consequence of the locality of its origin, it received the name above given. In a communication at the close of the sixteenth volume of the "Magazine of Horticulture," Mr. Pope describes it as follows:--

"It is a hybrid, as any one can readily perceive by inspection, between the Southern White and the Common Sweet Corn of New England; and exhibits certain characteristics of the two varieties, combining the size of the ear and kernel and productiveness of the Southern with the sweetness and tenderness of the Northern parent.

"The stalks are from ten to twelve feet in height, and of corresponding circumference. They are also furnished with brace-roots (seldom found upon the common varieties of Sweet Corn); and the pistils are invariably green, and not pink, as in the Southern White." The ears are from five to seven inches in length, and the number of rows varies from twelve to twenty; the kernels are very long or deep; and the cob, which is always white, is quite small compared with the size of the ear. When ripe, the kernels are of a dull, semi-transparent, yellowish white, and much shrivelled. The ears are produced on the stalk, four or five feet from the ground. It is very productive, but late; and though it will rarely fail in the coldest seasons to yield abundant supplies in the green state for the table, yet it requires a long and warm season for its complete maturity.

For cultivation in the Southern States and tropical climates, it has been found to be peculiarly adapted; as it not only possesses there the sweetness and excellence that distinguish the Sweet Corn of the temperate and cooler sections, but does not deteriorate by long cultivation, as other sweet varieties almost invariably are found to do.

PARCHING CORN (WHITE KERNEL).

Pop-corn.

Stalk six feet high, usually producing two ears, which are from six to eight inches long, quite slender, and uniformly eight-rowed; cob white; kernel roundish, flattened, glossy, flinty, or rice-like, and of a dull, semi-transparent, white color. When parched, it is of pure snowy whiteness, very brittle, tender, and well flavored, and generally considered the best of all the sorts used for this purpose.

In some parts of Massachusetts, as also in New Hampshire, the variety is somewhat extensively cultivated for commercial purposes. Its peculiar properties seem to be most perfectly developed in dry, gravelly, or silicious soils, and under the influence of short and warm seasons. In field culture, it is either planted in hills three feet apart, or in drills three feet apart, and eighteen inches apart in the drills. The product per acre is usually about the same number of bushels of ears that the same land would yield of shelled-corn of the ordinary field varieties.

Increase of size is a sure indication of deterioration. The cultivator should aim to keep the variety as pure as possible by selecting slender and small-sized but well-filled ears for seed, and in no case to plant such as may have yellow or any foreign sort intermixed. The value of a crop will be diminished nearly in a relative proportion to the increase of the size of the ears.

PARCHING CORN (YELLOW).

A yellow variety of the preceding. It retains its color to some extent after being parched; and this is considered an objection. It is tender, but not so mild flavored as the white, and is little cultivated. The size and form of the ears are the same, and it is equally productive.

RED-COB SWEET.

Ears about eight inches in length by a diameter of two inches,--usually twelve but sometimes fourteen rowed; kernels roundish, flattened, white when suitable for boiling, shrivelled, and of a dull, semi-transparent white when ripe; the cob is red, which may be called its distinguishing characteristic. Quality good; the kernel being tender and sweet. It remains long in good condition for the table, and is recommended for general cultivation. Season intermediate.

A sub-variety occurs with eight rows; the form and size of the ear and kernel resembling Darling's Early.

RICE (RED KERNEL).

This is a variety of the White Rice, with deep purplish-red or blood-red kernels. The ears are of the same size and form. Its quality, though inferior to the white, is much superior to the yellow. Productiveness, and season of maturity, the same.

RICE (WHITE KERNEL).

Stalk six feet or more in height; ears five or six inches long, an inch and a half in diameter, somewhat conical, broadest at the base, and tapering to the top, which is often more or less sharply pointed; the cob is white; the kernels are long and slender, angular, sharply pointed at the outward extremity, as well as to some extent at the opposite, and extremely hard and flinty. They are not formed at right angles on the cob, as in most varieties of corn, but point upward, and rest in an imbricated manner, one over the other.

The variety is hardy and prolific; and, though not late, should have the benefit of the whole season. For parching, it is inferior to the Common Parching Corn before described, though it yields as much bulk in proportion to the size of the kernel, and is equally as white: but the sharp points often remain sound; and it is, consequently, less crisp and tender.

RICE (YELLOW KERNEL).

Another sub-variety of the White Rice; the ear and kernel being of the same form and size. It is equally productive, and matures as early; but, when parched, is inferior to the White both in crispness and flavor.

STOWELL'S EVERGREEN.

Stowell's Evergreen Sweet.

Stalk from six to seven feet in height, and of average diameter; ears of a conical form, six or seven inches long, and two inches and a quarter in diameter at the base; kernels long or deep, pure white when suitable for boiling, of a dull, yellowish-white, and much shrivelled when ripe; cob white, and, in consequence of the depth of the kernels, small in comparison to the diameter of the ear.

The variety is intermediate in its season; and, if planted at the same time with Darling's or equally early kinds, will keep the table supplied till October. It is hardy and productive, very tender and sugary, and, as implied by the name, remains a long period in a fresh condition, and suitable for boiling.

TUSCARORA.

Turkey Wheat.

Plant five to six feet in height, moderately strong and vigorous; ears eight-rowed, and of remarkable size,--exceeding, in this respect, almost every sort used for the table in the green state. In good soil, they are often a foot and upwards in length, and from two inches and three-fourths to three inches in diameter at the base. The kernel, which is much larger than that of any other table variety, is pure white, rounded, flattened, and, when divided in the direction of its width, apparently filled with fine flour of snowy whiteness; the cob is red, and of medium size.

In point of maturity, the Tuscarora is an intermediate variety. In its green state, it is of fair quality, and considered a valuable sort by those to whom the sweetness of the sugar varieties is objectionable. In their ripened state, the kernels, to a great extent, retain their fresh and full appearance, not shrivelling in the manner of the sugar sort, though almost invariably indented at the ends like some of the Southern Horse-toothed field varieties.

When ground in the ripe state, it is much less farinaceous and valuable for cooking or feeding stock than the fine, white, floury appearance of the kernel, when cut or broken, would seem to indicate.

TWELVE-ROWED SWEET.

A large, comparatively late variety. Stalk seven feet high; the ears are from ten to fourteen rowed, seven to nine inches long, often two inches and a half in diameter in the green state, and taper slightly towards the top, which is bluntly rounded; cob white; the kernels are large, round or circular, sometimes tooth-shaped, pure white when suitable for the table, dull white and shrivelled when ripe.

The variety is hardy, yields a certain crop, and is sweet, tender, and of good quality. It is the parent of one or two varieties of superior size and excellence, to which it is now gradually giving place.

_Field Varieties._--

CANADA YELLOW.

Early Canada.

Ear small, about seven inches in length, symmetrical, broadest at the base, and tapering to the tip, uniformly eight-rowed, in four double rows; kernel roundish, smooth, and of a rich, glossy, orange-yellow color; cob small, white; stalk four to five feet high, slender; the leaves are not abundant, and the ears, of which the plant very rarely produces more than two, near the ground.

On account of the small size of the ear, the yield per acre is much less than that of almost any other field variety; twenty-five or thirty bushels being an average crop. The dwarfish character of the plants, however, admits of close culture,--three feet in one direction by two or two and a half in the opposite,--affording ample space for their full development; four plants being allowed to a hill.

Its chief merit is its early maturity. In ordinary seasons, the crop will be fully ripened in August. If cultivated for a series of years in the Eastern or Middle States, or in a latitude much warmer than that of the Canadas, the plant increases in size, the ears and kernels grow larger, and it is slower in coming to maturity.

DUTTON.

Early Dutton.

Ears nine or ten inches long, broadest at the base, tapering slightly towards the tip, ten or twelve rowed, and rarely found with the broad clefts or longitudinal spaces which often mark the divisions into double rows in the eight-rowed varieties,--the outline being almost invariably smooth and regular; kernel as broad as deep, smooth, and of a rich, clear, glossy, yellow color; cob comparatively large, white; stalk of medium height and strength, producing one or two ears.

One of the handsomest of the field varieties, nearly as early as the King Philip, and remarkable for the uniformly perfect manner in which, in good seasons, the ears are tipped, or filled out. In point of productiveness, it compares favorably with the common New-England Eight-rowed; the yield per acre varying from fifty to seventy bushels, according to soil, culture, and season.

Much prized for mealing, both on account of its quality, and its peculiar, bright, rich color. In cultivation, the hills are made three feet and a half apart in each direction, and five or six plants allowed to a hill.

HILL.

Whitman. Whitman's Improved. Webster. Smutty White. Old-Colony Premium.

Stalk six feet or more in height, moderately strong at the ground, but comparatively slender above the ear; foliage not abundant; the ears are produced low on the stalk, often in pairs, are uniformly eight-rowed, well filled at the tips, and, when fully grown, ten or eleven inches in length; cob white, and comparatively small; kernel dusky, transparent-white, large and broad, but not deep.

The Hill Corn is nearly of the season of the Common New-England Eight-rowed, and is unquestionably the most productive of all field varieties. In Plymouth County, Mass., numerous crops have been raised of a hundred and fifteen bushels and upwards to the acre; and, in two instances, the product exceeded a hundred and forty.

This extraordinary yield is in a degree attributable to the small size of the plant, and the relative large size of the ear. The largest crops were obtained by planting three kernels together, in rows three feet asunder, and from fifteen to eighteen inches apart in the rows.

No variety is better adapted for cultivation for farm consumption; but for market, whether in the kernel or in the form of meal, its dull, white color is unattractive, and it commands a less price than the yellow descriptions.

From the most reliable authority, the variety was originated by Mr. Leonard Hill, of East Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Mass.; and was introduced to public notice in 1825-6. Though at present almost universally known as the "Whitman," it appears to have been originally recognized as the "Hill;" and, of the numerous names by which it has since been called, this is unquestionably the only true and legitimate one.

ILLINOIS YELLOW.

Western Yellow.

Stalk ten feet or more high; foliage abundant; ears high on the stalk, single or in pairs, twelve to sixteen rowed, eleven to thirteen inches long, broadest at the base, and tapering gradually towards the tip, which is bluntly rounded; kernel bright-yellow, long and narrow, or tooth-formed, paler at the outer end, but not indented; cob white.

The variety ripens perfectly in the Middle States, but is not suited to the climate of New England.

ILLINOIS WHITE.

Western White.

Similar in its general character to the Illinois Yellow. Kernel rice-white; cob generally white, but sometimes red.

KING PHILIP, OR BROWN.

Improved King Philip.

Ears ten to twelve inches in length, uniformly eight-rowed when the variety is pure or unmixed; kernel copper-red, rather large, somewhat broader than deep, smooth and glossy; cob comparatively small, pinkish-white; stalk six feet in height, producing one or two ears, about two feet and a half from the ground.

In warm seasons, it is sometimes fully ripened in ninety days from the time of planting; and may be considered as a week or ten days earlier than the Common New-England Eight-rowed, of which it is apparently an improved variety.

Very productive, and recommended as one of the best field sorts now in cultivation. In good soil and favorable seasons, the yield per acre is from seventy-five to ninety bushels; although crops are recorded of a hundred and ten, and even of a hundred and twenty bushels.

As grown in different localities, and even in the product of the same field, there is often a marked variation in the depth of color, arising either from the selection of paler seed, or from the natural tendency of the variety toward the clear yellow of the New-England Eight-rowed. A change of color from yellowish-red to paler red or yellow should be regarded as indicative of degeneracy.

Said to have originated on one of the islands in Lake Winnipiseogee, N.H.

NEW-ENGLAND EIGHT-ROWED.

Stalk six or seven feet high, producing one or two ears, which are from ten to eleven inches long, and uniformly eight-rowed; kernel broader than deep, bright-yellow, smooth and glossy; cob comparatively small, white.

The variety is generally grown in hills three feet and a half apart in each direction, and five or six plants allowed to a hill; the yield varying from fifty to seventy bushels to the acre, according to season, soil, and cultivation. It is a few days later than the King Philip, but ripens perfectly in the Middle States and throughout New England; except, perhaps, at the extreme northern boundary, where the Canada Yellow would probably succeed better.

It often occurs with a profuse intermixture of red, sometimes streaked and spotted, sometimes copper-red, like the King Philip, and occasionally of a rich, bright, clear blood-red. As the presence of this color impairs its value for marketing, and particularly for mealing, more care should be exercised in the selection of ears for seed; and this, continued for a few seasons, will restore it to the clear yellow of the Dutton or Early Canada.

Many local sub-varieties occur, the result of selection and cultivation, differing in the size and form of the ear; size, form, and color of the kernel; and also in the season of maturity. The Dutton, Early Canada, King Philip, and numerous other less important sorts, are but improved forms of the New-England Eight-rowed.

PARKER.

A variety remarkable for the extraordinary size of the ears, which, if well grown, often measure thirteen or fourteen inches in length: they are comparatively slender, and uniformly eight-rowed. Cob white and slim; kernels bright-yellow, rounded, broader than deep.

Productive, but some days later than the Common New-England Eight-rowed.

WHITE HORSE-TOOTH.

Southern White.

Stalk twelve feet or more in height, with large, luxuriant foliage; ears single, often in pairs, short and very thick, sixteen to twenty-two rowed; kernel remarkably large, milk-white, wedge-formed, indented at the outer end; cob red.

YELLOW HORSE-TOOTH.

Southern Yellow.

Plant similar to that of the White Horse-tooth; kernel very large, bright-yellow, indented; cob red.

Extensively cultivated throughout the Southern States, but not adapted to the climate of the Middle or Northern.

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EGG-PLANT.

Solanum melongena.

The Egg-plant is a native of Africa, and is also indigenous to Tropical America. It is a tender annual, with an erect, branching stem, and oblong, bluish-green, powdered leaves. The flowers are one-petaled, purple, and produced on short stems in the axils of the branches; the fruit is often somewhat oblong, but exceedingly variable in form, size, and color; the seeds are small, yellowish, reniform, flattened, and retain their germinative properties seven years.

_Soil._--The Egg-plant will thrive well in any good garden soil, but should have the benefit of a sheltered situation.

_Sowing and Culture._--The seed should be sown in a hot-bed in March, at the time and in the manner of sowing tomato seed. The young plants are, however, more tender; and should not be allowed to get chilled, as they recover from its effects very slowly. The plant being decidedly tropical in character, the seedlings should not be transplanted into the open ground until the commencement of summer weather; when they may be set out in rows two feet apart, and two feet asunder in the rows. Keep the ground free from weeds, earth up the plants a little in the process of cultivation, and by the last of August, or beginning of September, abundance of fruit will be produced for the table.

If no hot-bed is at hand, sufficient seedling plants for a small garden may be easily raised by sowing a few seeds in March in common flower-pots, and placing them in the sunny window of the sitting-room or kitchen.

In favorable seasons, a crop may be obtained by sowing the seeds in May in the open ground, and transplanting the seedlings, when two or three inches high, in a warm and sheltered situation.

_Use._--"It is used both boiled and stewed in sauces like the Tomato. A favorite method among the French is to scoop out the seeds, fill up the cavity with sweet herbs, and fry the fruit whole."--_M'Int._

A common method of cooking and serving is as follows: Cut the fruit in slices half an inch thick; press out as much of the juice as possible, and parboil; after which, fry the slices in batter, or in fresh butter in which grated bread has been mixed; season with pepper, salt, and sweet herbs, to suit; or, if preferred, the slices may be broiled as steaks or chops.

_Varieties._--

AMERICAN LARGE PURPLE.

Fruit remarkably large,--often measuring eight inches in depth, seven inches in diameter, and weighing four or five pounds; skin deep-purple, with occasional stripes of green about the stem; plant hardy and stocky.

The American Large Purple is more generally cultivated in this country than any other variety. The plants produce two (and rarely three) fruits; but the first formed are invariably the best developed.

It is similar to, if not identical with, the Round Purple of English and French authors.

CHINESE LONG WHITE. _Vil._

Quite distinct from the Common White or the Purple. Plant of low growth, with comparatively pale foliage; fruit white, eight or nine inches long, two inches and a half in diameter, and often more or less curved, particularly when the end is in contact with the ground.

It is later than the White or Purple varieties, and nearly of the season of the Scarlet-fruited. To obtain the fruit in full perfection, the plants must be started in a hot-bed.

GUADALOUPE STRIPED. _Vil._

Fruit nearly ovoid, smaller than the Round or Long Purple; skin white, streaked and variegated with red.

LONG PURPLE. _Trans._

The plants of this variety are of the height of the Round Purple, but are subject to some variation in the color of the branches and in the production of spines; flowers large, purple, with a spiny calyx; the fruit is oblong, somewhat club-shaped, six or eight inches in length, sometimes straight, but often slightly bent; at maturity, the skin is generally deep-purple, but the color varies much more than the Large Round; it is sometimes pale-purple, slightly striped, sometimes variegated with longitudinal, yellowish stripes, and always more deeply colored on the exposed side.

It is early, of easy culture, hardy and productive, excellent for the table, thrives well in almost any section of the Northern States, and, if started in a hot-bed, would perfect its fruit in the Canadas.

NEW-YORK IMPROVED.

A sub-variety of the Large Round, producing the same number of fruits, which are generally of a deeper color, and average of larger size. The leaves are often spiny; and, if the variety is genuine, the plants will be readily distinguished from those of the last named by their more dense or compact habit of growth.

It is, however, comparatively late, and better suited to the climate of the Middle States than to that of New England; though it is successfully cultivated in the vicinity of Boston, Mass., by starting the plants in a hot-bed, and setting them in a warm and sheltered situation.

ROUND PURPLE. _Trans._

Large Round Purple.

Plant from two to three feet high, branching, generally tinged with purple, producing two and sometimes three fruits; the leaves are large, downy, oblong, lobed on the borders, with scattered spines on the midribs; flowers large, pale-purple,--the flower-stem and calyx invested with purple spines; the fruit is obovate, four or five inches in diameter, six or seven inches deep, slightly indented at the apex, and of a fine deep-purple when well matured,--specimens sometimes occur slightly striped or rayed with yellowish-green.

The American Large Purple, if not the same, is but an improved form of this variety.

SCARLET-FRUITED EGG-PLANT. _Hov. Mag._

A highly ornamental variety, introduced from Portugal. The plant attains the height of three feet, with leaves about six inches long. In general appearance, it resembles the Common Egg-plant; but the fruit, which is about the size of a hen's egg, is of a beautiful scarlet.

It is rarely if ever used for food, but is principally cultivated for its peculiar, richly colored, and ornamental fruit, which makes a fine garnish.

The variety is late, and comparatively tender. The seeds should be started early in a hot-bed, and the plants grown in a warm and sheltered situation.

WHITE EGG-PLANT.

Fruit milk-white, egg-shaped, varying from three to five inches in length, and from two inches and a half to three inches and a half in diameter.

It is the earliest, hardiest, and most productive of all varieties. The plants frequently produce five or six fruits each; but the first formed are generally the largest.

If sown in the open ground early in May, the plants will often perfect a portion of their fruit; but they are most productive when started in a hot-bed.

The fruit is sometimes eaten cooked in the manner of the Purple varieties, but is less esteemed.

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MARTYNIA.

Unicorn Plant. _Gray._ Martynia proboscidea.

A hardy, annual plant, with a strong, branching stem two feet and a half or three feet high. The leaves are large, heart-shaped, entire or undulated, downy, viscous, and of a peculiar, musk-like odor when bruised or roughly handled; the flowers are large, bell-shaped, somewhat two-lipped, dull-white, tinged or spotted with yellow and purple, and produced in long, leafless racemes, or clusters; the seed-pods are green, very downy or hairy, fleshy, oval, an inch and a half in their greatest diameter, and taper to a long, comparatively slender, incurved horn, or beak. The fleshy, succulent character of the pods is of short duration: they soon become fibrous, the elongated beak splits at the point, the two parts diverge, the outer green covering falls off, and the pod becomes black, shrivelled, hard, and woody. The seeds are large, black, wrinkled, irregular in form, and retain their germinative properties three years.

_Sowing and Cultivation._--The Martynia is of easy cultivation. As the plants are large and spreading, they should be two feet and a half or three feet apart in each direction. The seeds may be sown in April or May, in the open ground where the plants are to remain; or a few seeds may be sown in a hot-bed, and the seedlings afterwards transplanted.

_Gathering and Use._--The young pods are the parts of the plant used. These are produced in great abundance, and should be gathered when about half grown, or while tender and succulent: after the hardening of the flesh, they are worthless. They are used for pickling, and by many are considered superior to the Cucumber, or any other vegetable employed for the purpose.

* * * * *

OIL RADISH. _Law._

Raphanus sativus.

A variety of the Common Radish, particularly adapted for the production of oil, and distinguished by the name _R. sativus olifer_, or Oil Radish. Its stems are dwarf, from a foot and a half to two feet in height, much branched, spreading, and produce more seed-pods than the Common Radish. It is grown rather extensively in China for its oil; from whence it has been introduced into and cultivated in some parts of Europe: but it does not appear with any particular success, though much has been said and written in its favor.

It seems best suited for southern latitudes, where it may be sown in September, and harvested the following May or June: but, in the northern portions of the United States, it will be found too tender to withstand the winter; and the seed will therefore require to be sown in spring.

The oil is obtained from the seed, and is considered superior to rape-seed oil, but is extracted with greater difficulty.

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OKRA, OR GUMBO.

Ocra. Hibiscus esculentus.

Okra is a half-hardy annual, from Central America. Stem simple, sometimes branched at the top, and from two to six feet in height, according to the variety; the leaves are large, palmate, deep-green; the flowers are large, five-petaled, yellowish on the border, purple at the centre; the seed-pods are angular, or grooved, more or less sharply pointed, an inch or an inch and a half in diameter at the base, and from four to eight inches in length; the seeds are large, round-kidney-shaped, of a greenish-drab color, black or dark-brown at the eye, and retain their power of germination five years.

_Soil, Sowing, and Cultivation._--Okra may be raised in any common garden soil, and is propagated by seeds sown in April or May. The Dwarf varieties may be grown in rows two feet apart, and a foot from each other in the rows; but the taller sorts require a space of at least three feet between the rows, and nearly two feet from plant to plant in the rows. Keep the soil about the plants loose and open; and, in the process of cultivation, earth up the stems slightly in the manner of earthing pease. The pods will be fit for use in August and September.

It requires a long, warm season; and is most productive when started in a hot-bed, and grown in a warm, sheltered situation.

_Use._--The green pods are used while quite young, sliced in soups and similar dishes, to which they impart a thick, viscous, or gummy consistency. Thus served, they are esteemed not only healthful, but very nutritious.

The ripe seeds, roasted and ground, furnish a palatable substitute for coffee.

_Varieties._--

BUIST'S DWARF OKRA. _Count. Gent._

A variety recently introduced by Mr. Robert Buist, of Philadelphia. Height two feet; being about half that of the old variety. Its superiority consists in its greater productiveness, and the little space required for its development; while the fruit is of larger size and superior quality. It is said to produce pods at every joint.

DWARF OKRA.

Stem two feet and a half high, sometimes branched at the top, but generally undivided; leaves large, and, as in all varieties, five-lobed; flowers yellow, purple at the centre; pods erect, obtusely pointed, nearly as large in diameter as those of the Giant, but generally about five inches in length.

It is the earliest of the Okras, and the best variety for cultivation in the Northern and Eastern States.

Between this and the Tall, or Giant, there are numerous sub-varieties; the result both of cultivation and climate. The Tall sorts become dwarfish and earlier if long cultivated at the North; and the Dwarfs, on the contrary, increase in height, and grow later, if long grown in tropical climates.

The seeds of all the sorts are similar in size, form, and color.

PENDENT-PODDED.

The plants of this variety differ slightly, if at all, from those of the Common or Dwarf Okra. It is principally, if not solely, distinguished by the pendulous or drooping character of its pods; those of all other sorts being erect.

TALL OR GIANT OKRA.

White-podded.

Stem five to six feet in height; pods erect, sharply tapering to a point, eight to ten inches in length, and about an inch and a half in diameter near the stem or at the broadest part.

With the exception of its larger size, it is similar to the Dwarf; and, if long cultivated under the influence of short and cool seasons, would probably prove identical.

It yields abundantly, but is best adapted to the climate of the Middle and Southern States.

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PEPPER.

Capsicum. Capsicum annuum.

Of the Capsicum there are many species, both annual and perennial; some of the latter being of a shrubby or woody character, and from four to six feet in height. As they are mostly tropical, and consequently tender, none but the annual species can be successfully grown in open culture in the Middle States or New England.

The _Capsicum annuum_, or Common Garden-pepper, is a native of India. The stalks vary in height from a foot to nearly three feet; the flowers are generally white or purple; the pods differ in a remarkable degree in size, form, color, and acridness; the seeds are yellow, nearly circular, flattened, and, like the flesh or rind of the fruit, remarkable for their intense piquancy,--nearly forty-five hundred are contained in an ounce, and their vitality is retained five years.

_Propagation and Cultivation._--The plants are always propagated from seeds. Early in April, sow in a hot-bed, in shallow drills six inches apart, and transplant to the open ground when summer weather has commenced. The plants should be set in warm, mellow soil, in rows sixteen inches apart, and about the same distance apart in the rows; or, in ordinary seasons, the following simple method may be adopted for a small garden, and will afford an abundant supply of peppers for family use: When all danger from frost is past, and the soil is warm and settled, sow the seeds in the open ground, in drills three-fourths of an inch deep, and fourteen inches apart; and, while young, thin out the plants to ten inches apart in the rows. Cultivate in the usual manner, and the crop will be fit for use early in September.

_Use._--"The pod, or fruit, is much used in pickles, seasonings, and made dishes; as both the pod and seeds yield a warm, acrid oil, the heat of which, being imparted to the stomach, promotes digestion, and corrects the flatulency of vegetable aliments. The larger and more common sorts are raised in great quantities, by market gardeners in the vicinity of populous towns, for the supply of pickle-warehouses."

_Species and Varieties._--

BELL-PEPPER.

Large Bell. Bull-nose.

Plant two feet and upwards in height, stocky and branching, the stem and branches often stained or clouded with purple; leaves large, on long stems, smaller, smoother, and less sharply pointed, than those of the Squash-pepper; flowers white, sometimes measuring nearly an inch and a half in diameter.

The pods, which are remarkably large, and often measure nearly four inches deep and three inches in diameter, are pendent, broadest at the stem, slightly tapering, and generally terminate in four obtuse, cone-like points. At maturity, the fruit changes to brilliant, glossy, coral red.

The Bell-pepper is early, sweet and pleasant to the taste, and much less acrid or pungent than most of the other sorts. In many places, it is preferred to the Squash-pepper for pickling, not only because of its mildness, but for its thick, fleshy, and tender rind.

In open culture, sow in May, in drills sixteen inches apart, and thin the plants to twelve inches in the drills.

In England, they are pickled as follows: The pods are plucked while green, slit down on one side, and, after the seeds are taken out, immersed in salt and water for twenty-four hours; changing the water at the end of the first twelve. After soaking the full time, they are laid to drain an hour or two; put into bottles or jars; and boiled vinegar, after being allowed to cool, poured over them till they are entirely covered. The jars are then closely stopped for a few weeks, when the pods will be fit for use. In this form, they have been pronounced the best and most wholesome of all pickles.

BIRD-PEPPER. _Vil._

Stem fifteen to eighteen inches high; leaves very small; flowers white, about two-thirds of an inch in diameter; pods erect, sharply conical, an inch and three-quarters long, about half an inch in diameter, and of a brilliant coral-red when ripe.

The variety is late. If sown in the open ground, some of the pods, if the season be favorable, will be fit for use before the plants are destroyed by frost; but few will be fully perfected unless the plants are started under glass.

The Bird-pepper is one of the most piquant of all varieties, and is less valuable as a green pickle than many milder and thicker-fleshed sorts. It is cultivated in rows fourteen inches apart, and ten or twelve inches asunder in the rows. If sown in the open ground, make the rows the same distance apart, and thin the young plants to the same space in the rows.

The "Cayenne Pepper-pot" of commerce is prepared from Bird-pepper in the following manner: "Dry ripe peppers well in the sun, pack them in earthen or stone pots, mixing common flour between every layer of pods, and put all into an oven after the baking of bread, that they may be thoroughly dried; after which, they must be well cleansed from the flour, and reduced to a fine powder. To every ounce of this, add a pound of wheat-flour, and as much leaven as is sufficient for the quantity intended. After this has been properly mixed and wrought, it should be made into small cakes, and baked in the same manner as common cakes of the same size; then cut them into small parts, and bake them again, that they may be as dry and hard as biscuit, which, being powdered and sifted, is to be kept for use."

CAYENNE PEPPER.

C. frutescens.

The pods of this variety are quite small, cone-shaped, coral-red when ripe, intensely acrid, and furnish the Cayenne Pepper of commerce. Like the other species of the family, it is of tropical origin; and being a perennial, and of a shrubby character, will not succeed in open culture at the North.

Both the green and ripe pods are used as pickles, and also for making Chili vinegar or pepper-sauce; which is done by simply putting a handful of the pods in a bottle, afterwards filled with the best vinegar, and stopping it closely. In a few weeks, it will be fit for use.

The process of preparing Cayenne Pepper is as follows. The pods are gathered when fully ripe. "In India, they are dried in the sun; but in cooler climates they should be dried on a slow hot-plate, or in a moderately heated oven: they are then pulverized, and sifted through a fine sieve, mixed with salt, and, when dried, put into close, corked bottles, for the purpose of excluding the air. This article is subject to great adulteration, flour being often mixed with it; and, still worse, red lead, which is much of the same color, and greatly increases the weight.

"A better method is to dry the pods in a slow oven, split them open, extract the seeds, and then pulverize them (the pods) to a fine powder, sifting the powder through a thin muslin sieve, and pulverizing the parts that do not pass through, and sifting again, until the whole is reduced to the finest possible state. Place the powder in air-tight glass bottles; but add no salt or other ingredient whatever."--_M'Int._

The pods of either of the long-fruited sorts, or those of the Cherry-pepper, prepared as above, will furnish a quality of "Cayenne" Pepper greatly superior to that ordinarily sold by grocers, or even by apothecaries and druggists.

The larger and milder kinds, powdered in the same manner, make a wholesome and pleasant grade of pepper of sufficient pungency for a majority of palates.

CHERRY-PEPPER.

Capsicum cerasiforme.

Stem twelve to fifteen inches high, strong and branching; leaves comparatively small, long, narrow, and sharply pointed; flowers white, three-fourths of an inch in diameter; pod, or fruit, erect, nearly globular or cherry-form, and, at maturity, of a deep, rich, glossy, scarlet color. It is remarkable for its intense piquancy; exceeding in this respect nearly all the annual varieties.

It is not so early as some of the larger sorts; but in favorable seasons will perfect a sufficient portion of its crop in the open ground, both for seed and pickling. For the latter purpose, the peppers should be plucked while still green, put into a common jar or wide-mouthed bottle, and vinegar added to fill the vessel. In a few weeks, they will be fit for use.

When in perfection, the plants are very ornamental; the glossy, coral-red of the numerous pods presenting a fine contrast with the deep-green foliage by which they are surrounded.

A variety occurs with larger, more conical, and pendent pods. The plant is also much larger, and quite distinct in its general character.

CHERRY-PEPPER.

Yellow-fruited.

This is a variety of the Red Cherry. The plants have the same general habit, require the same treatment, and perfect their fruit at the same season. There is little real difference between the sorts, with the exception of the color of the fruit; this being clear yellow.

To preserve either of these varieties for use in the dry state, all that is necessary is to cut off the plants close to the roots when the fruit is ripe, and hang them, with the fruit attached, in any warm and dry situation. They will retain their piquancy for years.

CHILI PEPPER. _Vil._

Pods pendent, sharply conical, nearly two inches in length, half an inch in diameter, of a brilliant scarlet when ripe, and exceedingly piquant; plant about eighteen inches high; leaves numerous, of small size, and sharply pointed; flowers white, nearly three-fourths of an inch in diameter.

Sow in a hot-bed in April, and transplant to the open ground in May, about fourteen inches apart in each direction. Requires a long, warm season.

LONG RED PEPPER.

Fruit brilliant, coral-red, generally pendulous, sometimes erect, conical, often curved towards the end, nearly four inches in length, and from an inch to an inch and a half in diameter; skin, or flesh, quite thin, and exceedingly piquant.

Stalk about two feet high; foliage of medium size, blistered and wrinkled; flowers an inch in diameter, white.

The variety yields abundantly, but attains its greatest perfection when started in a hot-bed. The ripe pods, dried and pulverized as directed for Cayenne Pepper, make an excellent substitute for that article.

The plants, with ripe fruit, are very ornamental.

LONG YELLOW. _Vil._

Pods pendent, long, and tapering, three to four inches in length, and about an inch in their greatest diameter. At maturity, they assume a lively, rich, glossy yellow; and the plants are then showy and ornamental.

Stem two feet and upwards in height, slightly colored with purple at the intersection of the branches and insertion of the leaf-stems; leaves of medium size, smaller and paler than those of the Long Red; flowers white, nearly an inch in diameter. Like the last named, it is very piquant. It is also late; and, to obtain the variety in perfection, the seed should be started in a hot-bed in April.

PURPLE OR BLUE PODDED.

Black-podded.

Fruit erect, on long stems, bluntly cone-shaped, two inches and a half in length, and a half or three-fourths of an inch in diameter at the broadest part. Before maturity, the skin is green or reddish-green, clouded or stained with black or purplish-brown; but, when ripe, changes to rich, deep, indigo-blue.

Plant two feet or upwards in height, more erect and less branched than other varieties, and much stained with purple at the intersection of the branches and at the insertion of the leaf-stems; leaves of medium size, or small, long, and sharply pointed; leaf-stems long, deep-green; flowers white, tipped with purple, about three-fourths of an inch in diameter; flower-stems long, purple.

A rare, richly colored, and beautiful pepper, but not cultivated or of much value as an esculent. For its full perfection, a long, warm season is requisite. The plants should be started in a hot-bed in March or April, and transplanted in May to the open ground, fifteen inches apart.

QUINCE-PEPPER.

Piment cydoniforme. _Vil._

This variety is similar to the Sweet Spanish; but the fruit is rather longer, and its season of maturity is somewhat later. Its flavor is comparatively mild and pleasant; but, like the Sweet Spanish, it is not generally thick-fleshed. At maturity, the fruit is a brilliant coral-red.

ROUND OR LARGE RED CHERRY-PEPPER.

Rond. _Vil._ Cerise grosse.

This is but a sub-variety of the Common Red Cherry-pepper, differing only in its larger size.

It is quite late, and should be started in a hot-bed.

SQUASH-PEPPER.

Tomato-shaped.

Fruit compressed, more or less ribbed, about two inches and three-quarters in diameter, and two inches in depth; skin smooth and glossy,--when ripe, of a brilliant coral-red; flesh thick, mild and pleasant to the taste, though possessing more piquancy than the Large Bell or Sweet Spanish.

Plant about two feet high, stout and branching; leaves broad and large; flowers white, an inch and a quarter in diameter; fruit drooping, the fruit-stem short and thick.

The Squash-pepper is extensively grown for the market, and is most in use in the pickle warehouses of the Eastern and Middle States. In field-culture, the plants are started in hot-beds in April, and, after the beginning of summer weather, transplanted to the open ground, fourteen to eighteen inches apart, according to the quality of the soil. The fruit is generally sold by weight; and an acre of land, in a fair state of cultivation, will yield about three tons,--a bushel of the thick-fleshed sort weighing nearly thirty-two pounds. An excellent pickle may be made by preparing the peppers in the manner directed for the Bell variety.

As grown by different market-men and gardeners, there are several sub-varieties of the Squash-pepper, differing both in form and in the thickness of the flesh; the latter quality, however, being considered of the greater importance, as the thick-fleshed sorts not only yield a greater weight to the acre, but are more esteemed for the table.

The Squash-pepper succeeds well when sown in the open ground in May, in drills fourteen inches apart. The plants should be ten or twelve inches apart in the rows; for, when grown too closely, they are liable to draw up, making a weakly, slender growth, and yield much less than when allowed sufficient space for their full development. Low-growing, stocky, and branching plants are the most productive.

SWEET MOUNTAIN PEPPER.

This variety resembles the Large Bell, if it is not identical. The Sweet Mountain may be somewhat larger; but, aside from this, there is no perceptible difference in the varieties.

SWEET SPANISH.

Piment monstreux. _Vil._

Fruit obtusely conical, often four inches in length, and nearly three inches in diameter,--brilliant glossy scarlet at maturity; stem strong and sturdy, two feet or more in height; leaves large, but narrower than those of the Large Bell; flowers white, and of large size,--usually an inch and a half in diameter; fruit sometimes erect, but generally drooping.

Though one of the largest varieties, the Sweet Spanish is also one of the earliest. The flesh is sweet, mild, and pleasant; and the variety is much esteemed by those to whom the more pungent kinds are objectionable. When prepared in the same form, it makes a pickle equally as fine as the Large Bell.

The Sweet Spanish Pepper succeeds well if sown in the open ground in May. Make the rows sixteen inches apart, and thin the plants to a foot apart in the rows.

YELLOW SQUASH-PEPPER. _Vil._

Yellow Tomato-formed.