ART OF GARDENING. 59 



When the pods are ripe they are cut, and hung in the 

 sun in a dry atmosphere. The seed is preserved in the pod 

 if it is effectually dried. When powdered it is used for pep- 

 per-tea, for the relief of violent colds and sore throats. 



The variety Sweet Spanish is used as a salad. 



POTATO (Solatium tuberosum). 



The Potato is a native of America. Of the genus Sola- 

 rium, it belongs to the natural order Solanacece, or the Night- 

 shade tribe. Some of this family, it is well known, are poi- 

 sonous, as the Deadly Nightshade ; others have stimulating 

 and narcotic properties, and others afford us food. The 

 potato is said to eject some poisonous properties, on being 

 subjected to heat in the process of cooking, and, for this 

 reason, the practice of changing the water they are boiled in 

 is a commendable one. 



Potatoes are mostly planted in drills, either whole or cut 

 into pieces, each piece having an eye. They are frequently 

 cut a week before they are planted, and spread on a dry 

 barn-floor to dry. They are planted five or six inches deep, 

 and seven or eight inches from each other, in drills about 

 thirty inches apart. They are hoed as soon as they are up, 

 and from time to time the earth is thrown up around the 

 plants. 



Potatoes require a great deal of manure. Common stable 

 manure, bone-dust, and alkalies are all favorable, but lime 

 cannot be used with advantage. 



PUMPKIN (CucurUta Pepo). 



Pumpkin beds are prepared in a similar manner to 

 melon and cucumber beds, but the soil need not be so highly 

 prepared. 



RADISH (Raphanus sativd). 



Radishes do not love a wet, stubborn soil, and should 



