ROSELLE. 359 



in the early spring for flat culture for summer use. The 

 culture is like that for lettuce except that the plants need 

 wider spacing and extra care has to be taken to protect 

 the seed from drying out, as it is long in germinating and 

 can not be deeply covered. Good firming .of the ground 

 after previous deep culture is desirable, and a light mulch 

 will help to retain moisture and facilitate watering with- 

 out crusting the ground. 



Roselle. Hibiscus subdariffa. 



This interesting plant, resembling in its growth okra or 

 gumbo, is a native of tropical Asia and Africa, and has 

 been widely distributed through semi-tropical countries, 

 where it has been found to possess considerable resistance 

 to drought and to yield very acceptable food products. It 

 has recently been introduced in California the seed hav- 

 ing been distributed by the State University. The plant is 

 very ornamental, the dark red stems and pods showing 

 through the rather scant dark green foliage. The flowers 

 are of a yellowish white with a dark red center, two in- 

 ches across and lasting only an hour or so during fair 

 weather. The juice extracted from the fleshy calyces or 

 husks is used with water to make an acidulous cooling 

 drink, but is of most value in jelly-making. The muci- 

 laginous properties of the juice render the "setting" of the 

 jelly certain, with a reasonable amount of cooking. The 

 dark sherry color of the jelly and the sprightly acid make 

 it nearly if not equal to currant jelly. Irrigated plants 

 produce a more highly colored fruit, but come into bearnig 

 later. Unirrigated plants put their strength into fruit, but 

 the irrigated plants start lateral branches, which ulti- 

 mately produce several pods, while the unirrigated plants 

 have but one pod. As the plant will endure quite heated 

 and arid situations, it promises to be of much value for 

 jelly-making where currants do not thrive. The plant 

 should be given ordinary garden culture, sowing the seed 

 when danger of frost is over. Enough of the pods should 

 be allowed to ripen to yield seed for the following year. 



