CHAPTER III 

 SPINACH AND OTHER GRJEENS 



Spinacb Mustard 



Orach Purslane 



Chard or leaf-beet Dandelion 



Potherb crops, or greens, are grown, for their leaves: 

 therefore they must make quick growth in order to he crisp 

 and tender; the ground must have good surface tilth and 

 much available plant-food; the application of soluble 

 nitrogenous substances is usually important, particularly 

 when the growth is nearing completion. Most potherb 

 crops demand a cool season; and nearly all of them are 

 partial-season crops, and are therefore treated as succes- 

 sion- or companion-crops. 



To the plants discussed in this chapter, several others 

 might be added. New Zealand spinach is not a spinach, 

 but a member of the Pig Marigold family (Aizoaceas) ; 

 ii: is Tetragonia expansa of the botanists. It is annual; 

 it endures hot weather and therefore may be sub- 

 stituted for spinach in summer, being sown at intervals. 

 Kale (see Chapter IV) is really a potherb plant; and it 

 would not be great violence to include cabbage in this 

 group. Several docks and sorrels are grown as potherbs, 

 but as these are perennial they are discussed in Chapter 

 II. The potherbs are among the oldest of the vegetable- 



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