CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 425 



SPINACH (Spinacea olcracea) 



598. History. This plant, which is considered native 

 to southwestern Asia, was probably introduced into 

 Europe during the fifteenth century. There is no assur- 

 ance that it was known to the Greeks or Romans. 



599. Importance. With the exception of cabbage 

 (which with propriety may be classed by itself), spin- 

 ach is the most important crop grown for "greens" in 

 the United States. In the North it was formerly a stand- 

 ard frame crop, but southern competition has made it of 

 little importance there as a forcing crop, compared with 

 lettuce and several other vegetables. It is grown mainly 

 as a spring crop from sowings made in the fall. Spinach 

 is grown on a very large scale about Norfolk, Virginia. 



600. Varieties. The Rhode Island Experiment Sta- 

 tion (R. I. Sta. Bui. 41) has divided the varieties into 

 four groups. 



GROUP I. Norfolk, or Bloomsdale Spinach. "Plants 

 more or less vase-form, leaves broad, thick and sup- 

 ported by their stalks, so that they do not naturally rest 

 upon the ground. Blossom stalks appear at an early 

 age." The Norfolk Savoy and other varieties belong to 

 this class. 



GROUP II. Round-Leaved Spinach. "Plants compact 

 in habit of growth, with leaves conspicuously rounded in 

 outline and formed close to the ground. Tissue firm, 

 color dark green, blossom stalks formed rather tardily. 

 A slow-growing spinach as compared with the other 

 types." The well-known Victoria belongs to this class. 



GROUP III. Thick-Leaved Spinach. "Plants large, 

 leaves long and spreading out upon the ground, ends and 

 lobes of leaves more or less pointed. A highly prized 

 type of spinach, both for spring and fall planting, on ac- 

 count of its large size and rapid growth." Long Season 

 is a good representative of this class. 



