PURSLANE. 569 



puddings are made, nearly equal in flavour to those of 

 Millet. With a moderate proportion of Wheat flour, 

 bread of excellent quality may be formed of it, and as 

 equally delicate food as sago or arrow-root. 



There are many varieties of this root cultivated in 

 different parts of England ; but few appear to be suffi- 

 ciently meritorious to deserve garden culture. The 

 most approved variety is that known by the name of 

 Ash-leaved Kidney. It is one of the best that can be 

 employed for forcing, and likewise for the first crop in 

 the open air. 



The earliest tubers of the potatoe are always those 

 which are produced from sets which have been cut with 

 a single eye to each. This circumstance should be par- 

 ticularly attended to in the first crop, as I have always 

 found these ten days or a fortnight earlier than those 

 produced from sets which had been cut with two eyes or 

 more. I have tried them several years, planting the 

 single-eyed sets in alternate drills with the others, and 

 the difference has proved uniformly the same. 



When the sets are cut, in all potatoes whatever, the 

 crown of the tuber, or that part opposite to where it was 

 attached to the runner when growing, should be thrown 

 away. 



The sets should always be planted so far apart that 

 the plants, when growing, should not press upon each 

 other, but have all their leaves fully exposed to sun 

 and air. 



For excellent practical observations upon this subject 

 see Mr. Knight's papers in the Hort. Trans, particu- 

 larly that at p. 405. of vol. vii. 



51. PURSLANE. 



Portulaca sativa, and oleracea, are both annual plants, 

 natives of South America and Europe. They were 

 formerly cultivated as pot herbs, salads, for garnishings, 



