PURSLAIN. 377 



PURSLAIN. 

 Portulaca. 



Purslain is a hardy, annual plant. Most of the cultivated 

 kinds are but improved .forms of the Common Purslain (P. 

 oleracea), introduced into this country from Europe, and' so 

 troublesome as a weed in most vegetable gardens. 



The stem is usually about a foot in length, succulent and 

 tender ; the leaves are fleshy, broad and round at the ends, 

 and taper to the stalk ; the flowers are yellow, and rest 

 closely in the axils of the leaves ; the seeds are black, ex- 

 ceedingly small, and retain their germinating powers ten 

 years. 



Soil, Propagation, and Culture. Purslain thrives well 

 in all soils, dry, wet, or intermediate, and is propa- 

 gated by seeds sown in shallow drills at any time from 

 April to July. 



Use. The plants may be cut for use when they have 

 made a growth of four or five inches. They are mixed in 

 salads, eaten boiled as Spinach, or pickled. 



The species and varieties are as follow : 



Abundant in gardens, cultivated fields, and Common 



Purslain. 

 waste grounds. The Green and the Golden PORTULACA 



OLKKACKA. 



Purslain are improved sub-varieties. The 

 Common Purslain is used in all the forms in which the 

 cultivated sorts are used, and, though some of the latter are 

 considered more succulent, the difference in quality will 

 scarcely repay the cost of cultivation, where the present 

 variety would be the ceaseless competitor for the supremacy. 



Similar to the Green Purslain, but differing Golden Purs- 

 lain. 

 in the paler or yellowish color of the stalks F.OLERACEA VAB. 



AUREA. 



and leaves. 



32* 



