2;W2 



(i:\()THERA 



OKRA 



lower ones pinnatifid, attenuate at base: calyx-tube as 

 long as the ovt\ry; iwtals large, obcordate, white: caps, 

 '■.-'jin. long, S-winged. acute at top. Mo., west and 

 stnith. B.M.;51S'.). C.n. I2l), p. 182. 



IS. tetrfptera, Cav. (Hartinditnia hlrdphra, Small). 

 N'illous: cajis. larger and more broadly winged, very 

 abruptly contracted at top: calyx-tube sliortcr than 

 the ovjiTV: tls. white, becoming ro.se. Texas and .\riz., 

 south. B.M. 4t)S. \":ir. Childsii, Bailey ((IJ. rdsea 

 mfxicana. Hort.), is a handsome form intro. from Texas 

 by John Lewis Childs in 1892. It was found in the 

 wild. "We first secured tlie pink," Childs writes, "and 

 aftenvards someone else sent us the white, blush .and 

 the other shades, all from Texas." In some respects it 

 differs markedly from Q£. Iitraphra, and it is not impos- 

 sible that it is a distinct species. In cult, it is a trailing 

 plant. The Ivs. tend to be 

 broader and less pointed than 

 in (E. kiraptera. It does not 

 produce seed in the N., but is 

 readily prop, by cuttings. It 

 is an excellent plant either 

 for the flower-garden or for 

 pots in the conservatory. It 

 is popularly known as the 

 "Mexican evening primrose." 



2569. Okra. Ths pods of okra vary greatly in length, depend- 

 ing on the variety, up to 10 and 12 inches; they are usually 4 to 

 6 inches long. ( X H) 



19. rdsea, Ait. (Harlmdnnia rdsea, Don). Root 

 biennial or perennial: st. erect or ascending, 1-2 ft., 

 branching from the base: Ivs. lanceolate to narrow 

 ovate-lanceolate, mostly acuminate, rather abruptly 

 narrowed to a petiole, entire or remotely denticulate or 

 the larger ones small-lobed at the base: calyx-tube 

 shorter than the ovarj': fls. small, fuchsLi-like, purple 

 or rose, the petals rounded and entire: caps, much like 

 that of (E. speciosa. Texas and New Mex., south. 

 B.M. .347. 



AA. Plant glahroui or essentially so, nearly stcmless or 

 else prostrate. 



20. acaaUs, Cav. ((E. taraxacifblia, Hort.). Tufted 

 perennial or biennial plant, at first stemlcss, but pro- 

 ducing pro.strate, somewhat zigzag sts.: Ivs. oblong in 

 outline, .>-8 in. long, petioled, divided into many 

 unequal narrow divisions dike a dandelion If.): fls. usu- 

 ally opening white, but changing to ro.se, large (2-.3 in. 

 aorr^s.'ij, the very slender tube .3-5 in. long: caps, .shorts 

 obovatc, broa<Ily triangiilar-winged aljove. Chile. 

 B.R. 7f*3. On. 26, p. 480.— A very interesting and 

 attractive 7<lant. 



X. SUBGENUS PACHYLOPHUS. 



Stemlcss or cssciituillii .so; stigma Jf-chjl; calyx-tube very 

 slender hut cnlnrguiii iipimrrl, longer than the 

 ovary: caps, with wrinkled or contorted imngs: fls. 

 white or pink. 



21. caespitosa, ^uit. {Pnch ijlophus cwspitosus, Spach). 

 Crown 2-4 in. high, perennial or biennial: Ivs. clustered, 

 oblong to narrow-Lanceolate or sjjatulate, sometimes 1 

 ft. long, attenuate, repand-toothed, pubescent: fls. 

 white or pink, IJs-S in. across, the petals obcordate; 

 calyx-tube 2-6 in. long: caps, oblong-pointed, 1-2 in. 

 long. S. Dak., Neb., west and south. B.M. 1.593, .5828 

 as (0. marginala). Gn. 26:480; 47, p. 46 (both as 0. 

 marginala). 



XI. SUBGENUS LAV.iUXIA. 



Stemlcss or essentially so: calyx-lube very slender, enlarg' 

 ing upward, longer than the ovary: caps, with 

 plane or entire wings: fls. while, pink, or even pale 

 yclloiv. 



22. brachycarpa. Gray (Lavaiixia brachycdrpa, Brit.). 

 Perennial, densely pubescent: Ivs. thickish, ovate to 

 very narrow-lanceolate, about 6 in. long, long-stalked, 

 entire or notched or l>Tately pinnatifid; calyx-tube 2-3 

 in. long; petals about 1' zin. long, purphsh: caps, ovate, 

 often 1 in. long, the wings not wrinkled. Mont, to 

 Kans., west and south. 



(E. Arendsii, Bowles. Said to be a hybrid of <E. speciosa and (E, 

 rosea, ("(E. speciosa var. rosea") hardier than the former: spreads 

 freely from the base, blooming on the young shoots: fis. large, 

 delicate shade of pink with white eye. Gn. 7G, p. 638. 



L. H. B. 



OKRA, or GUMBO {Hibi.Kiis esculentus) is a half- 

 hardy plant introduced into United States and 

 West Indies from Africa, and cultivated for its 

 fruit-pods, which are used in soups, stews, cat- ' 

 sups, and the like (Fig. 2569). In soups and 

 catsup, it gives body to the dish; stewed, it is 

 mucilaginous, and while at first not agreeable to 

 many persons, a taste for it is easily acquired. It is also 

 dried and canned for winter use. When ripe, the black 

 or brown white-eyed globular seeds are sometimes 

 roasted and used as a coffee substitute. 



Okra should be sown in a dry warm soil, of medium 

 fertility and texture, after danger of frost has passed. 

 It is important to select the correct type of land for 

 growing okra. It should be a well-drained sandy loam, 

 or if clay only is available it should be a loamy clay, 

 and a soil that is not likely to become water-logged dur- 

 ing the rainy weather. The soil should be prepared 

 deeply and thoroughly, the deeper the better, if the 

 soil is good. The rows should be made 3 to 5 feet apart, 

 according to variety, and seeds dropped about 2 inches 

 apart in the row; cover 1 or 2 inches deep. After plants 

 are 6 inches high, thin to 1 foot apart for dwarf varie- 

 ties and to about 3 feet for the largest varieties. After 

 the plants have been cut out to a proper stand in the 

 row, frequent cultivation should be given. This is best 

 performed with implements that cut rather deeply. 

 The okra plants do not throw out many lateral roots in 

 the early stages of growth if planted on the proper kind 

 of soil. The seedlings transplant with considerable 

 difficulty, so they need to be started in flower-pots 

 if an extra-early crop is desired. The pods must be 

 gathered before the fiber develops in them: the size 

 will vary with the variety, but if it is too "stringy" to 

 cut with a dull case-knife it is too old. Keep all old 

 pods cut off. The dwarf varieties are in greater favor in 

 the South because of their habit of bearing early. A 

 plant, constantly cropped, remains in bearing condition 

 until frost kills it, but allowed to retain pods it suspends 

 growth until the seeds have matured, when a second 

 growth may take place. Okra will grow for years if 

 nfit killed by frost or other adverse conditions, i. e., it 

 makes an indeterminate growth like cotton, nialva, 

 hibiscus, and the like. For .shipping, cut the stems 



