THE GARDEN 



79 



in the sun two weeks, to dry, the seed can easily be re- 

 moved, and the stems and leaves will be better as fodder 

 than when green and fresh. 



Indigo. Twenty years ago, this was a very important 

 crop in the Philippines, especially in Ilocos Sur. But 

 some of the indigo growers and merchants there put 

 other substances into the indigo, so as to make more 

 money ; and after a little while 

 nobody would pay a good price 

 for any of their indigo. Even 

 good indigo sells for a much 

 lower price now than it formerly 

 did. Indigo is planted i cm deep, 

 in rows 40 cm apart, several seeds 

 in a bunch, and the bunches 15 

 to 20 cm apart. Twenty-four 

 liters of seed will plant i hektar. 

 It may be planted whenever it 

 is likely to receive light rains, 

 or in the driest season if it can 

 be irrigated. In Ilocos it is planted from November to 

 February. It lives nine or ten months and gives two or 

 three crops. The plants are cut when in flower. Two 

 hundred kilos of plants will make i kilo of first quality 

 indigo, or 2 kilos of " corriente." 



GARDEN FRUITS 



Okra. The common soft garden fruits are okra, 

 tomato, eggplant, and pepper. Okra is a native of 



FIG. 61. Okra 



