Vol. XV. No. 371. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



237 



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SUB-TROPICAL VEGETABLE GARDENING. By 

 P. H. Rolf, Director of the Experiment Station at Florida. 

 New York MacMlllan Company, 1916. Pp. 309, Plates 

 XVI. Price 6,«. M. net. 



The e.ictensive cultivation for domestic purposes of both 

 temperate and tropical vegetables in the West Indies renders 

 this book of great interest in these islands. Located midway 

 between the temperate and tropical regions of the Western 

 hemisphere, the author has been in a favourable position to 

 furnish reliable information as to the tolerance of diifereut 

 vegetables in regard to climatic conditions. At the beginning 

 of the book the author gives a considerable amount of atten- 

 tion to the subject of manuring; the reason for this appears 

 to be the poor sandy quality of the soils of Florida, for which 

 State the book has been primarily written. In dealing with 

 the special question of manures for vegetable gardens in 

 warm countries, the importance of compost manure is referred 

 to, and it is stated that if one has determined for what crop 

 the compost is to be used, proper amounts of commercial 

 fertilizers should be added as the pile is prepared. While 

 emphasizing the importance of manuring, the rotation of crops 

 is not neglected, and it is advocated that a crop of vegetables 

 should always be followed by one having as widely different 

 requirements and habits as possible. At the same time 

 certain crops are especially able to grow repeatedly on the 

 same land without showing any falling off in quantity 'or 

 quality of yield. A good example uf such a crop is the onion, 

 of which considerable quantities are now grown in the West 

 Indies. 



After dealing briefly with the pi^ )blem of water and water- 

 ing, the author gives attention next tu seeds, their testing and 

 sowing. A succeeding chapter deals with pests and diseases, 

 principally consisting of formulas for the preparation of pois- 

 onous and contact insecticides and fungicides. 



The principal part of the hook describing different 

 vegetables, their characteristics and caltivation starts in Chap- 

 ter X. This deals with vegetables with edible leaves or stems, 

 and consideration is first given to the cabbage. It is observed 

 that this plant is the commonest temperate vegetable grown 

 in the West Indies, and in India. In regard to a related 

 cruciferous vegetable, namely Brussels sprouts, it is said that 

 this does not appear to succeed in winterless climates. The cauli- 

 flower is recommended for private or local use in tropical land, 

 where there is a distinct cool .season (as in the hills of .lamaica, 

 St. Lucia, and Dominica), especially if grown under a slat shed 

 or under cheese-cloth on a small scale. The seed for warm 

 climates sliould be procured, like that of the Bermuda onion, 

 from a warm country. Jlany persons prefer the cauliflower to 

 any other vegetable, and attempts to cultivate this plant 

 in the West Indies deserve encouragement. 



In regard to other vegetables with edible leaves, consider- 

 able attention is given to lettuce. In raising this plant, as 

 soon as the seedlings are up strongly, and before the leaves 

 begin to form, the largest should lie picked out with the point 

 of a knife. This is said to give stronger and better plants. 



Nitrate of soda dissolved in water (about an ounce to a gallon) 

 is often sprinkled on young lettuce beds to hasten growth. 

 The cabbage lettuce is regarded as best for tropical climates. 

 Amongst further plants dealt with of the edible leaf class is 

 parsley and water-cress. The former can be grown best in 

 the tropics under shade; as regards the latter, it is stated that 

 this is found growing wild in the West Indies along the banks 

 of streams. In Barbados, water-cress is frequently grown in 

 special beds at the base of windmills. 



Enquiries are often heard in the West Indies concerning 

 the possibility of growing asparagus. The edible shoots which 

 form this vegetable, however, sprout up in quantities only 

 after the plants have been resting during the cold season; 

 thus in regions where there is no cold, but only a cool season, 

 asparagus does not flourish. It is grown as far South as 

 Central Florida. 



Turning to the class of vegetables with edible bulbs 

 attention is first given to that important vegetable, the onion. 

 The cultivation of this crop has received such careful attention 

 in places in the West Indies where it is exten.sively grown, 

 that there is little reason for reproducing the information 

 given in the book under review; but its perusal in detail 

 should prove of interest to West Indian growers. Other 

 bulb vegetables referred to include the leek, which grows well 

 in the West Indies, the shallot, and garlic. 



The vegetables with edible fruits belong practically to 

 the Cucurbitaceae and the Solonaceae. Examples are melons, 

 cucumber, squash, tomato, egg plant, and pepper. Useful 

 information is given concerning the cultivation of all these 

 plants. The vegetables with edible seeds, which are dealt 

 with in a later chapter, consist principally of peas and beans. 

 In this connexion special reference may be made to the 

 suitability of Lima beans for the tropics. The importance 

 of the ground nut as a food product is referred to, and its 

 cultivation described. 



As regards tuberous vegetables, it is of interest to note 

 that the Irish potato originated in regions of high altitude, 

 and this is supposed to be the reason why this plant is so 

 intolerant to climatic extremes The Irish potato does not 

 withstand extremes of either heat or cold, or excessive 

 moisture or drought. Thus this plant does not succeed well 

 in the tropics. The sweet potato, however, can be grown 

 throughout the tropics and sub-tropics. 



The remaining vegetables dealt with include cassava, 

 tannias, horse raddish, spinach, gourd, parsnip, carrot, and 

 many others. 



From the above account of the contents of this volume 

 it will be realized that its range is a very comprehensive one, 

 and that the greater number of the plants dealt with can be 

 produced satisfactorily in the West Indies. There is one 

 point in cennexion with the production of temperats vege- 

 tables in the West Indies that should prove encouraging, and 

 that has regard to the fact that temperate vegetables are 

 appreciated by visitors who arrive in the island in consider- 

 able numbers, especially during the cool season from northern 

 countries. Americans and Europeans as a rule, do not like 

 tropical vegetables. 



Perusal of this volume impresses one with the idea that 

 the production af temperate vegetables could be facilitated 

 and improved by the more general adoption of shade. It 

 would be interesting if experiments could be conducted with 

 such plants as cauliflower, parsnips. turnip.s. and carrots, under 

 cheese-cloth. It might be found that growth would be 

 stimulated as it is in the case of the tobacco plant, and, what 

 is more important, it might be found that the characteristic 

 flavours of these distinctive vegetables might be accentuated 

 to a degree attained where the plants are grown in cold 

 countries. 



