3124 



SEA-KALE 



SECHIUM 



at a season when vegetables are scarce. Sea-kale 

 demands a deep rich and rather moist soil, in order to 

 give the best results and to maintain its vigor for a 

 series of years. The plants require about as much room 

 as rhubarb; that is, they should stand from 3 to 4 feet 

 apart each way. The culture and general requirements 

 are much the same as for rhubarb. The young shoots 

 are blanched as they grow, in early spring. The blanch- 

 ing is accomplished by heaping fine loose earth over the 

 crown of the plant, into which the shoots grow, or by 

 covering the plant with an inverted box or flower-pot 

 so that the light is excluded from the growing shoots. 

 These shoots are eaten before the leaves have begun 

 to expand to any extent, whilst crisp and tender. The 

 vegetable is prepared as is asparagus. 



Sea-kale is propagated by root-cuttings, and also by 

 seeds. Quicker results are secured from cuttings. If 

 strong cuttings, 4 or 5 inches long, are taken in early 

 spring and grown in good and rather moist soil, the 

 plants may be strong enough for cutting the following 

 spring; but it is usually better not to cut them until 

 two years from starting. The cuttings may be placed 

 where the plants are to stand permanently, or they may 

 be grown in drills in a seed-bed. The latter plan is usu- 

 ally to be preferred, since it allows the plants to receive 

 better care. Seeds give plants that are strong enough 

 for cutting about the third year. The seeds are really 

 fruits or pods, and each fruit may produce two or three 

 plants. Usually the fruits are sown without shelling. 

 The seedlings are raised in the seed-bed and transplanted 

 when one year old to permanent quarters. On good soil, 

 plants of sea-kale should maintain their vigor for five 

 to eight years after they have come to cutting age. As 

 soon as they begin to show signs of decline, new plants 

 should be propagated. Although the plant is hardy in 

 the northern states, it is always benefited by a liberal 

 dressing of litter or manure in the fall. Plants may be 

 forced in hotbeds or under the greenhouse benches, as 

 recommended for rhubarb. Sea-kale has large glau- 

 cous cabbage-like leaves which make it a striking 

 plant for ornament early in the season. It also throws 

 up a strong cluster bearing many rather showy white 

 flowers. However, the plant is rarely propagated for 

 its ornamental value. For botanical description, see 

 Vol. II, p. 873. L . H . B. 



SEA-LAVENDER : Statice. S.-onion: Urginea maritima; also ap- 

 plied to Ornithogalum caudatum and Scilla verna. S. pink: Armeria. 



SEBASTIANIA (from Antonio Sebastiani, a writer 

 on Roman plants 100 years ago). Euphorbiacex. Tropi- 

 cal shrubs scarcely in cult.: juice milky: Ivs. alter- 

 nate, small, usually entire: infl. usually terminal: fls. 

 apetalous; staminate calyx with 2-3 sepals free or 

 connate at the base, imbricate; stamens 1-5; ovules 

 1 in each cell of the ovary: seed carunculate. About 75 

 very variable species, all tropical except S. ligustrina, 

 Muell. Arg., in swamps from N. C. to Fla. S. Pdlmeri, 

 Rose, has very poisonous juice and the seeds are among 

 the best known of the "Mexican jumping beans" 

 which are inhabited by a small lepidopterous larva 

 whose actions cause the springing motions of the seeds. 



J. B. S. NORTON. 



SECALE (the ancient Latin name, said to be derived 

 from seco, to cut; according to some applied to spelt). 

 Graminese. Spikelets with 2 perfect fls., sessile on 

 opposite sides of a zigzag rachis, forming a terminal 

 spike; glumes subulate, 1 -nerved; lemmas keeled, long- 

 awned. Species 2, S. fragile, an annual of S. Russia, and 

 S. cereale, the cult, rye, which, according to Hackel, is 

 derived from a wild perennial form (S. montanum, 

 Guss.), native in mountains, S. Eu. and Cent. Asia. 



cereale, Linn. RYE. Tall annual, commonly cult, in 

 Eu., less so in U. S., as a cereal. Also cult, here for 

 annual pasture. Dept. Agric., Div. Agrost., Bull. 20: 163. 



A. S. HITCHCOCK. 



SfeCHIUM (probably from the Greek sekos, "to 

 fatten in a fold," because it was fed to hogs). Cucur- 

 bitacese. A climbing sparsely hairy herb, with perennial 

 tuberous roots, grown in tropical and subtropical regions 

 for its large fruits, which somewhat resemble the sum- 

 mer squash in use and character. 



Leaves membranaceous, 3-angled or -lobed, cordate 

 at the base; tendrils 2-5-branched, opposite the Ivs.: 

 fls. small, monoecious, axillary, the pistillate solitary, 

 the staminate in small clusters; calyx-tube saucer- 

 shaped, the limb 5-lobed; corolla rotate, deeply 5- 

 parted, the segms. ovate-lanceolate; filaments and 

 styles connate into a central column, of which the 

 anthers appear as lobes, while the stigmas are closely 

 set together, forming a small head: fr. pear-shaped or 

 globose, fleshy, 1-seeded. One species, indigenous in 

 Mex. and Cent. Amer. and widely planted. 



edfcle, Swartz (Chayota editlis, Jacq.). CHAYOTE. 

 CHAYOTLI. CHOTTCHOUTE. CHOCHO, CHUCHU, or XTJXTT. 

 CHOKO. CHAIOTA. MIRLITON. CHRISTOPHINE. PIPI- 

 NELLA. Fig. 3582. Sts. herbaceous, annual, some- 

 times making a growth of 50 ft. in one season, if the 



3582. Fruit of Sechium edule. 



plant is grown on rich well-drained ground: large tuber- 

 ous roots are formed the second season: Ivs. 4-6 in. 

 long, resembling those of the cucumber, deep green, 

 somewhat rough, scarcely hairy; corolla greenish or 

 cream-colored: fr. 3-8 in. long; seed single, flat, 1-2 in. 

 long, attached at the upper end of the cavity. G.C. 

 1865:51; III. 24:476; 28:450. 



The chayote is grown successfully in southern 

 California and about New Orleans, where it is fairly 

 common. In Florida it is not yet common, but its cul- 

 ture is being extended rapidly. It can probably be 

 grown successfully in those parts of the South where the 

 ground does not freeze in winter. The fruit is round to 

 pear-shaped, smooth or corrugated, the surface some- 

 times covered with small soft spines. The color varies 

 from nearly white to dark green, the flesh being firm, 

 crisp, and more delicately flavored than the squash. 

 The cooked fruit can be creamed, baked, or made into 

 fritters, sauces, tarts, puddings, salads, or used like 

 potatoes with other meats and vegetables. The young 

 spring shoots, tender branches, and tuberous roots 

 form palatable dishes, while the woody stems furnish a 

 fine fiber, known in French as "paille de chouchou." The 

 fruits, vines, and tubers are excellent fodder for stock. 



The entire fruit is planted in early spring, and the 

 vine should come into fruit after the rainy season, 

 remaining in fruit (in the southern United States) until 

 the plant is cut down by frost. Plants should be 8 to 

 10 feet apart, and trained on an arbor or trellis. In 



