OXALIS CRENATA 73 



heavy soil ; and though the plant in good soil grows freely, 

 I mean the top growth is ample, the tubers are not 

 numerous unless the position is favourable and the 

 summer most favourable. The best position should be 

 given the plants, and at the start much time is gained by 

 potting up the tuber and starting under glass. 



I have referred to the other variety, Deppi, a perennial 

 plant and a native of Mexico introduced much at the 

 same time as the first named variety, but this species is 

 more used in a green state than the other, the young 

 leaves being dressed like Sorrel. They are also used in 

 soups and boiled as a vegetable with lamb or veal. The 

 roots of this variety are fleshy, tapering, white, and clear, 

 and the crowns or tops of the roots have a number of 

 small scaly bulbs from which the plants are produced in 

 abundance. This variety by many persons is preferred 

 to the former as it is less acid, and when properly served 

 makes a tender, succulent dish, easy to digest and a good 

 dish for invalids. The roots when full grown are 3 to 

 4 inches long and I to 2 inches in thickness, and the 

 plant needs a rich root run, indeed any old spent manure 

 or decayed vegetable mould will grow it well, but it needs 

 much moisture and prefers a southern aspect. In a heavy 

 clay soil it makes poor progress ; grown thus it runs along 

 the surface and does not form its elongated or bulbous 

 root. It comes freely from seed, but it is best grown 

 from the off-sets or bulbs, these planted late in April. 

 Twelve inches between the rows and half that distance in 

 the row will be sufficient, as it will be seen. This variety 

 is very different in growth from Crenata. The bulbs at 

 planting should be made firm and only lightly covered 

 with soil, and they do well if given a mulch of decayed 

 manure in dry summer. The plants grow till cut down 

 by frost, when they should be lifted, stored in sand, the 

 crown growths removed and the bulbs stored till planting 

 time. 



