CHAPTER FIFTEEN 



CROPS GROWN FOR THEIR LEAVES 



Who would be without celery and lettuce, rhubarb and 

 spinach, when it is so easy to raise them? 



Old Farmer's Almanac 



ALL leafy crops of the garden are used as food when 

 the leaves are tender and in good condition. The plants 

 are not left to reach natural or full maturity and pro- 

 duce seed. They are often grown in ways that promote 

 excessive leafy development, which may be somewhat 

 unnatural for the plant. 



Some leafy vegetables, like rhubarb, onions from sets, 

 Swiss chard, and cabbage, are rather easy to grow success- 

 fully, but the greater number of leafy vegetables require 

 conditions that are very favorable to their growth. In 

 general, the production of many tender leaves in these 

 crops requires a rich soil, abundant moisture, cool weather 

 and good cultivation. Poor soil, lack of cultivation, in- 

 sufficient moisture, and hot weather invariably result in 

 fewer leaves, slower growth, and poorer quality. 



Many of the most delicious of the leafy vegetables 

 (especially of the salad crops) wilt quickly when gathered, 

 and soon lose their tenderness and best flavor. For this 

 reason they are especially suited to home production, for 

 then they may be placed on the table fresh from the 

 garden. With a few exceptions, home-grown leafy 

 vegetables excel in crispness and flavor the vegetables 

 which are bought in the market ; and the excellent table 

 qualities of properly grown leafy crops well repay the 

 home gardener for his efforts in producing them. 



At least twenty distinct sorts of plants may be grown 

 in the home vegetable gardens in the United States solely 



225 



