CHAPTER XXXI. 

 SPINACH. 



COMMON SPINACH. Spinacia oleracea and spinosa. 

 French, epinard ; German, spinat ; Dutch, spinazie ; Danish, spinat ; Italian, 

 spinaccio; Spanish, espinaca; Portuguese, espinafre. 



NEW ZEALAND SPINACH. Tetragonia expansa. 



Spinach is an all-the-year plant in California, and the house- 

 gardener need never fail to have tender foliage for boiling if he 

 arranges for successive sowings and knows the varieties and species 

 which befit the changing seasons, for he can choose for fall sowing 

 that which is perfectly hardy and thrifty in the California winter, 

 and for spring sowing that which will furnish succulent pluckings 

 even through the heat and drought of the interior summer. But 

 though this is so, it is chiefly as affording winter greens that spinach 

 is grown for the market. The summer furnishes so large a variety 

 of table vegetables that it is chiefly in winter that the housewife 

 turns her attention to pot-herbs. 



Culture. As we are dealing with two entirely distinct genera 

 of plants under the name "spinach," and as they have very little in 

 common except their similar culinary use, it will be necessary to 

 write in specific terms of their culture. 



The varieties of common spinach (spinacia) dislike heat and 

 drought and enjoy moist, rich soil and moderate temperature. 

 These conditions are afforded by all California gardens in the win- 

 ter, providing the grower will heed the suggestions for ridge- 

 culture, etc., given in previous chapters, for escaping surplus water 

 and securing suitable growing-temperature in the winter garden. 

 With these provisions it is easy to secure winter spinach by fol- 

 lowing the suggestions given for the winter growth of lettuce, peas 

 or other hardy vegetables. What has been said of fall sowing of 

 these, applies also to spinach. The plant makes best growth from 

 seed sown in place, and if the seed is good it may be thinly sown, 

 for the plants should not be allowed to crowd each other. They 

 should have from six to nine inches space in the row and should be 

 kept free from encroachment of weeds. To keep the soil from 

 packing by rains, and to push the plants as well, a top dressing of 

 fine manure may be placed to be leached out by the rains. In a 

 garden with permanent walks, spinach may be sown as a border 

 plant, which brings it within easy reach for the frequent plucking 

 of leaves. The plants will endure this, and by means of new growth 

 on old plants and successive sowings, it is feasible, as above stated, 

 to have spinach always ready. The variety chiefly used is the 

 "Large Prickly," although the "Long Standing" is also esteemed 

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