156 new plants, etc.. 



31. The White-Stemmed Amaranth. 



Seeds of this were presented by Captain Hall, Berwick-upon- 

 Tweed, with a communication, from which the* following are 

 extracts : — 



" The excellence of this vegetable consists in its succulency 

 and tenderness, or freedom from any thing of a stringy, fibrous 

 character. These qualities depend on being brought forward 

 early by rapid growth, so as to be in a state fit for use in a 

 month or so ; and this is effected by means of a rich and rather 

 light soil, an ample supply of moisture, a moist still atmosphere, 

 and high temperature — the latter may be varied occasionally as 

 high as 9u° in the daytime, and regulated at from 70" to 75" at 

 night. With respect to light, the direct rays of the sun are not 

 essential ; on the contrary, too much or constant sunshine is pre- 

 judicial ; a condition in which the direct rays are frequently in- 

 tercepted by thin light clouds is more favourable to the rapid 

 growth of this vegetable than unbroken sunshine. 



" The preceding remarks are based on the conditions which I 

 have observed to be most favourable to the rapid development of 

 this plant in India, where the best time for raising it in perfec- 

 tion is the early part of the monsoon or rainy season, just after 

 the first fall of rain in June, when the ground has been well 

 saturated with moisture ; and the parching state of the air, as it 

 exists in the hot season, has given place to excess of moisture. 

 At this period the atmosphere is usually calm, or only agitated 

 with light breezes, and the sun generally obscured by a thin 

 hazy cloudiness suflficient to intercept or break the direct rays, 

 but transmitting considerable heat to the earth. This state 

 of things often continues for six or eight weeks, only varied by 

 occasional rainy intervals, the temperature in the shade ranging 

 from 72° to 85° day and night. During the period just described, 

 I have had plants of this Amaranth which attained full growth 

 for use within a month from the sowing of the seeds, being at 

 that time near one foot and a half high, and as thick in the stem 

 as the middle or second finger. As the season advances — in 

 August — it becomes less favourable to the growth of this vege- 

 table; a decided change takes place in the electrical condition of 

 the atmosphere, the sun shines out more frequently and more 

 brightly, the air becomes drier, and there is a manifest tendency 

 in all succulent vegetables to acquire hardness and stringiness of 

 fibre, and to run into flower. 



" I have entered into this minute detail of the natural season 

 in India for the purpose of indicating the distinct conditions of 

 climate necessary, on the one hand, for producing this vegetable 

 for use ; and, on the other hand, for perfecting its growth with 



