AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 167 



(which see, p. 160). If sown at all, it should be in a warm, 

 rich spot, and if slightly covered for winter it will start the 

 earlier in spring. 



PICKLES. 



French, Saumure. German, PeTcel. Spanish, Eschabeches. 



A great variety of articles are used for pickles, viz., beans, 

 beets, brocoli, cabbage, especially the red or purple, carrots, 

 cauliflower, cucumbers small and large, green and ripe, the 

 seeds being first removed from the latter, garlic, okra, Martynia 

 or proboscis plant, melons, nasturtiums, small onions, peppers, 

 shallots, tomatoes, Madeira-nuts, black walnuts, butternuts, &c. 

 The processes of their preparation are also somewhat varied. 



Nasturtiums are simply bottled in cold vinegar, furnishing 

 their own spice. 



Cabbage is shredded as cole-slaw, and scalded with the hot 

 vinegar and spices which have been boiled together, and to 

 which the necessary salt has been added. 



Beets and carrots are first cooked as for ordinary use, then 

 the hot spiced vinegar is poured over them, and when cooled 

 they are fit for use. 



Onions, garlic, and shallots are improved by being first 

 lightly boiled in milk and water. They are then skinned, and 

 the hot spiced vinegar poured over them as the former. 



Beans, cucumbers, okra, Martynia, melons, peppers, and to- 

 matoes, all which should be selected while tender, and as nearly 

 as possible of uniform size, also brocoli and cauliflower, when 

 carefully divided into rather small pieces, may all be salted 

 with dry salt, or strong brine, if they will not make it, for eight 

 or ten days ; then being washed off and soaked in fresh water 

 for twenty-four hours, they should be put in cold vinegar, with 

 the necessary spices, and set in a stone pot upon a stove until 

 they are cooked through, or in a kettle over a slow fire until 

 upon the point of boiling, being careful to keep them under the 

 vinegar, and if uneven in size, the larger ones at the bottom. 

 Then take them off, and put them while hot into proper ves- 

 sels ; cover tightly, and when cooled they may be used. 



Madeira-nuts, black walnuts, and butternuts, if taken while 



