210 Subtropical Vegetable-Gardening 



employed them, as nearly or quite equal to the currant 

 or cranberry preserves of more northern regions. It is 

 not an unusual occurrence for visitors in Florida to mistake 

 roselle fruits, when prepared for the table, for cranberries. 

 This plant has long been grown for similar purposes in 

 India, Egypt, and other hot eastern countries. 



Propagation. 



The roselle is regularly propagated by seeds, but it can 

 be readily grown from cuttings. To secure the best re- 

 sults, the seed should be carefully selected from the earliest 

 ripening bolls, growing on the most prolific plants. As a 

 whole, the plants are rather more vigorous than need be ; 

 consequently, no attention need be paid in the direction of 

 vigor. 



The seed should be sown in a hard seed-bed, such as is 

 prepared for eggplants, tomatoes, or peppers. The 

 month of April is found to be the most favorable for the 

 larger part of Florida. The seeds are sown in drills about 

 6 inches apart, dropping enough seed so that the plants 

 may be thinned out to an inch apart in the drill. The 

 thinning out should be done as soon as the plants begin 

 crowding one another. By the first of July they will be 

 large enough to set out in the field. At this time abundant 

 rains may be expected, and thus one avoids the necessity 

 of having to water the plants, excepting at the time of 

 setting out. 



If the seed is sown early in the year, the plants grow 

 much more vigorously and produce a larger stalk than 

 with late sowing. It is a question, however, whether 

 the increase in size of stalk produces an increase 



