156 ASPARAGINOUS PLANTS. 



HOOSUNG, OR OOSUNG. Hov. Mag. 



A lettuce-like plant from Shanghai. Stems cylindrical, 

 from two to three feet high, erect, light green, with a green, 

 succulent pith ; leaves oblong, tapering to the base, the 

 uppermost clasping ; the flowers are small, yellow, in pani- 

 cles slightly drooping. If sown in April or May, the plants 

 will ripen their seed in August. 



Sowing and Cultivation. Sow in a cool frame, in either 

 April or May, or continuously, for a succession, at intervals 

 during May, and transplant into the open ground in the usual 

 manner of treating lettuces ; making the rows about eighteen 

 inches apart, and placing the plants about the same distance 

 apart in the rows. The plants will be fit for use early in June. 



Use. The succulent stem is the part used. This is 

 divested of its outer rind, and either simply boiled, with a 

 little salt in the water, and dressed as asparagus, or stewed 

 in soy, with salt, pepper, and butter added, or boiled in soup 

 as okra. It is a very agreeable and pleasant addition to the 

 list of vegetable esculents, and worthy of trial. 



The plant is little cultivated, and there are no described 

 varieties. 



PERENNIAL PHYTOLACCA. 



Garget. Poke. Pigeon Berry. Phytolacca decandra. 



A hardy, herbaceous, perennial plant, common by road- 

 sides, in waste places, and springing up spontaneously on 

 newly burned pine-lands. It has a branching, purplish stem, 

 five to seven feet in height ; and large, oval, pointed, entire 

 leaves. The flowers are produced in July and August, in 

 long clusters ; and are of a dull white color. The fruit con- 

 sists of a flat, purple, juicy berry ; and is sometimes used for 

 dyeing purple. 



