254 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



Patience of the old herbals; other Sorrels follow it in 

 succession : Bailey names the Belleville, or Broad-leaved 

 French, and Vilmorin-Andrieux gives this and still 

 others. All the Sorrels and Docks are acid (the Patience 

 Dock perhaps least so), and especially in spring, when 

 this is prized. Round-leaved Sorrel (R. scutatus) is the 

 latest in succession, being grown in summer. Sorrels are 

 usually given an out-of-the-way place in the garden, 

 and allowed to spread; but they are best when grown 

 in rows. The flower-stalks should always be cut off, so 

 as not to weaken the plants. 



Soil rich and somewhat moist. Acid soil is good 

 for Sorrel. 



Distances. Rows eighteen inches apart, plants six 

 inches in the rows. 



Depth. One-half to one inch. 



Sow seed in the drills, or 



Set root-divisions in spring. 



Culture. Grub out all suckers, in row culture. Cut 

 off all flower-stalks. 



Pick the large leaves (rather than take the whole 

 top at one time) so as not to exhaust the plant. 



Renew the plantation after a few years, when the 

 plants seem weaker. 



SORREL, WOOD. Wood Son-el is Oxalis acetosetta, 

 a perennial plant seldom cultivated, and not offered by 

 seedsmen. Roots may be dug from wild plants and set 



