as a Culinary Vegetable. 79 



for ten minutes ; and they were, on trial, declared, by all pre- 

 sent, to be more agreeable in their flavour than the common 

 potato. It is not possible to give an idea of a flavour in 

 words ; but, if I were to attempt it, I should say, it was that 

 of the potato slightly combined with the chestnut. I have 

 been informed that the tuber of the O'xalis crenata was 

 brought from South America by Mr. David Douglas, and 

 was planted, in 1831, by Mr. Lambert. One of the tubers 

 obtained from Mr. Lambert was planted by Mrs. Hirst in a 

 pot in the green-house, in the end of April last, and, in the 

 month of May the pot was removed to the flower-garden 

 and broken, and the parts removed. It was first planted in 

 the green-house as a security against frost ; but it appears to 

 have been unnecessary, as the plant has stood the frost re- 

 markably well, and the leaves, on the 5th instant, before the 

 tubers were dug up, were quite green. The tuber planted 

 was less than an ounce in weight, and the tubers produced 

 were ninety in number, and weighed altogether upwards of 

 4 lbs. They were in a space, the diameter of which was 9 in., 

 and the depth 6 in. The stems were between twenty and 

 thirty in number, succulent, and of a reddish colour. The 

 flowers appeared in August, and consisted of five petals, 

 crenate at the edge, and of a yellow colour. The leaves are 

 trifoliate, the leaflets are inversely heart-shaped. 



The experiment of cultivating this tuber may be considered 

 as hitherto very successful ; and when we consider that the 

 common potato was long confined to gardens, producing roots 

 which were exceedingly small, and was far less promising 

 than the O'xalis crenata at present appears ; we may reason- 

 ably anticipate that it may prove a vahiable addition to our 

 culinary vegetables, and that, by skilful cultivation, the tubers 

 may be greatly increased in size. 



I am, Sir, yours, &r. 

 Jan. 10. 1833. James Mitchell. 



A GOOD figure and an interesting account of the Oxalis 

 crenata were {published in the second series of Sweet's British 

 Floixer-Garden, t. 125., about a year ago. It should be 

 remembered that the autumn and close of 1832 have been 

 remarkable for their mildness, and for being almost totally 

 free from frost. A notice of this plant has been already given 

 in Vol.VIIL p. 16.— J.Z). 



