286 SPINACEOUS PLANTS. 



on a hot-bed or in pots to be placed in the forcing-house, and 

 they will soon send up an abundance of tender tops : these, 

 if desired, may be blanched by covering with other pots. 

 If planted close to a flue in the vinery, they will produce 

 excellent nettle-kale or nettle-spinach in January and Feb- 

 ruary." 



Lawson states that " the common Nettle has long been 

 known as affording a large proportion of fibre, which has 

 not only been made into ropes and cordage, but also into 

 sewing-thread, and beautiful, white, linen-like cloth of very 

 superior quality. It does not, however, appear that its cul- 

 tivation for this purpose has ever been fairly attempted. 

 The fibre is easily separated from other parts of the stalk, 

 without their undergoing the processes of watering and 

 bleaching ; although by such the labor necessary for that 

 purpose is considerably lessened. Like those of many other 

 common plants, the superior merits of this generally ac- 

 counted troublesome weed have hitherto been much over- 

 looked." 



NEW ZEALAND SPINACH. Loud. 

 Tetragonia expansa. 



This plant, botanically considered, is quite distinct from 

 the common garden Spinach ; varying essentially in its 

 foliage, flowers, seeds, and general habit. 



It is a hardy annual. The leaves are of a fine green 

 color, large and broad, and remarkably thick and fleshy ; the 

 branches are numerous, round, succulent, pale green, thick, 

 and strong ; the stalks recline upon the ground for a large 

 proportion of their length, but are erect at the extremities ; 

 the flowers are produced in the axils of the leaves, and, ex- 

 cept that they show their yellow anthers when they expand, 

 are quite inconspicuous ; the fruit is of a dingy-brown color, 



