160 



PLANTS AND MAN 



When cultivated, the plant is induced to form long succulent 

 leaf stalks. As a crop plant, it requires cool moist climate, and 

 grows best on sandy loam with plenty of available water. The 

 green leaf stalks are blanched by covering the lower parts of the 

 plant with earth or boards, to prevent the formation of chloro- 

 phyll. It is grown in the southern states (particularly California 

 and Florida) as a winter crop, and in such northern states as 

 New York and Michigan as a summer crop. 



Endive is one of the few composites with edible qualities, 

 others being artichoke and lettuce. It was introduced into Greece 



and Rome from its native India, and 

 cultivated as a salad plant; recently it 

 has become better known in the United 

 States for somewhat the same purposes. 

 In the salt marshes of Europe and 

 Asia, ASPARAGUS is still found in the wild 

 state. Like endive, it was cultivated and 

 prized by the ancient Greeks and 

 Romans. The perennial roots produce 

 branching stems which are botanically 

 interesting in that they bear no leaves 

 but, instead, green modified branches 

 known as cladophylls. This green foliage 

 portion is known by florists as "asparagus 

 fern" (fig. 96). The first new shoots to 

 appear are thick and fleshy, forming the 

 market asparagus. Asparagus thrives in 

 fertile soils of moist temperate regions 

 where there is an abundance of sunshine. 

 Chief asparagus raising area in the 

 United States is California; some is also grown as a crop in 

 Massachusetts, New York, Illinois and the southeastern states. 

 For lighter colored stalks, blanching is carried on as with celery. 

 Dried asparagus keeps indefinitely, and some is used ii;i this way 

 in Europe. 



Underground stems store more food than above-ground 

 stems; this is particularly true of the white potato. The under- 

 ground portion of the potato plant consists of branching fibrous 



Fig. 96. — The green 

 foliage portion of aspara- 

 gus is known to florists as 

 "asparagus fern." 



