206 LUTHER BURBANK 



These Japanese and Chinese mustards are 

 quite distinct from our species. One kind very 

 extensively used in China, and introduced by 

 the Chinese in California, has the appearance of 

 a large compact bunch of celery. The leaves are 

 perhaps two inches in width or even more, grow- 

 ing so compactly that the plant is even more 

 solid than an ordinary cabbage head, each plant 

 weighing from two to five pounds. The leaf- 

 stalks are blanched like celery. They have a 

 spicy taste suggestive of mustard that is very 

 palatable and refreshing. The plants are cooked 

 like other garden vegetables. 



Another Chinese variety has greener leaves 

 and a looser habit of growth, the plant being 

 also considerably larger. This also is a pleas- 

 ant, spicy vegetable when cooked. 



All the Chinese mustards run to seed quickly 

 at the approach of warm weather, so the seed is 

 usually sown quite early in the winter. The 

 young plants are stimulated to rapid growth by 

 good cultivation and fertilization, and fine large 

 plants are ready for the market in the early 

 spring. The plants are usually grown on raised 

 beds and are planted about a foot apart each 

 way. These are really remarkable vegetables 

 that should be much more generally cultivated 

 in the United States. 



