362 APPENDIX. 



best kinds ; cut the largest in two or four pieces. Plant at the 

 rate of twenty bushels to the acre, according to the state of the 

 ground and the productiveness of the kind ; sometimes twenty-five 

 bushels to the acre are required, more being generally lost by an ill- 

 judged parsimony in the first instance than by overstocking the 

 ground. 



But the precise quantity depends on various circumstances ; 

 six or seven hundred bushels to the acre is not unusual. Never 

 earth up potatoes. Potatoes afford, in some cases, a large portion of 

 starch ; and this starch, by some slight alteration, may be converted 

 into nearly its own weight of sugar. Plant from April to the last 

 of July, near the surface; cover three inches; hoe twice or thrice. 



19. ROCAMBOLE. Mlium scorodoprasum. 



A hardy, bulbous, perennial plant, of the onion or garlic species ; 

 the root resembling the latter, but of more delicate flavor. Its cul- 

 tivation is not much unlike that of the onion. 



20. SALSAFY, or VEGETABLE OYSTER. Tragopogon 

 porrifolius. 



A hardy biennial, producing beautiful flowers of a fine blue color; 

 the root long and tapering or conical, of a white color and sweet 

 taste. The outer rind being scraped off, they are steeped in vinegar 

 to extract the bitter taste, then boiled or stewed like parsnips. Sow 

 the seeds in April, and manage the same as for parsnip. 



21. SALSJLLA. Edible alstrameria. 



A very beautiful herbaceous plant, a native of Peru. Its roots are 

 eaten like the potato. It is cultivated in the West Indies, and may 

 answer well in many parts of our country. 



22. SCORZONERA. Scorzonera Hispanica. 



A perennial plant, a native of Spain. The root is small and 

 tapering. Prepared by steeping in vinegar, as directed for salsafy ; 

 and boiled and stewed, it is an excellent vegetable. Sow, as for 

 parsnips, in April, but allow less distance. 



23. SHALLOTS. Mlium ascalonicum. 



' A species of onion, the bulbs compound, like those of garlic. A 

 hardy perennial plant, a native of Ascalon and of Palestine. It is 

 used to give flavor to roast beef gravies, and beefsteaks, &c., also to 

 give a flavor to pickles. They are cultivated by division of the 

 bulbs. Mr. Knight directs to place the bulbs on tjie surface of a rich 

 soil, the mould being raised for support on either side. As soon as 

 firmly rooted, the earth is removed to the bottom of the bulbs, and 

 they are at once well watered, and thus growing wholly on the sur- 

 face, they soon assume the size and form of onions; the crop is thus 

 rendered more abundant, and the quality greatly improved. 



24. SKIRRET. Sium sisarum. 



A perennial plant, a native of China. Its roots are tuberous 

 and branching. When boiled, stewed, or fried, with butter, pep- 

 per, &c., its flavor is sweet and agreeable. .Sow the seeds in April 

 or May, and cultivate as for salsafy or parsnip. 



