OKLAHOMA— OKRA 



1453 



Frost and Frecipitation for Oklahoma 



Station 



Beaver 



Jefferson — 

 Stillwater. . 



Arapaho 



King Fisher 

 Oklahoma. . 

 Mangum.. . . 

 Fort Sill — 

 Heaidton . . . 

 Lehigh 



Frost 



Average Date of 



First 



Killing in 



Autumn 



Oct. 23 



Oct. 29 



Nov. 2 



Oct. 24 



Oct. 27 



Nov. 2 



Nov. 2 



Oct. 29 



Oct. 31 



Oct. 21 



Last 



in 

 Spring 



Apr. 13 

 Apr. xo 

 Apr. 11 

 Apr. 11 

 Apr. 12 

 Apr. 5 

 Apr. 

 Apr. 

 Apr. 

 Apr. 



Date of 



First 



in 



Autumn 



Sept. 27 



Oct. 8 



Oct. 14 



Oct. 8 



Oct. 14 



Ocfc. 7 



Oct. 16 



Oct. 14 



Oct. 14 



Oct. 8 



Last 



in 

 Spring 



Apr. 30 



May 1 



May 1 



May 1 



May 1 



Apr. 30 



May 1 



May 1 



May 1 



Apr. 18 



Precipitation 



Annual 

 inches 



18.9 

 26.9 

 31.7 

 27.2 

 33.1 

 31.7 

 25.4 

 30.1 

 32.7 

 35.1 



Okra 



Okra is a tropical plant, somewhat re- 

 sembling cotton in appearance, the pods 

 of which are used in soups. There are 

 several varieties of okra, the pods vary- 

 ing in color from a dark green to a 

 greenish white, and in length from one 

 and one-half inches to five inches when 

 ready for use, that is before the seeds 

 are half grown. The pods are usually 

 ready to pick about the second day after 

 the blossom has fallen. This, of course, 

 varies with the vigor of the plant and 

 with the season. 



Okra may be grown in almost any rich 

 mellow soil where corn would do well 

 and requires about the same treatment 

 as corn. In the Northern states the seeds 

 should be planted as soon as the ground 

 is warm enough for general gardening. 

 In the South successive plantings may 

 be made about four or five weeks apart. 



In countries where okra is used to any 

 great extent the very young pods are 

 strung on threads and dried for winter 

 use. 



Methods of Preparing 



Okra should never be cooked in iron, 

 brass or copper vessels, as the pods will 



absorb the metal and become discolored 

 and even poisonous. Agate, aluminum, 

 porcelain or earthenware should be used. 



Okra Soup 



2 pounds of beef, without fat or bone; 



2 cups of okra, chopped fine; 



One-fourth pound of butter; 



4 quarts of cold water; 



1 onion, sliced and chopped; 



Salt and pepper. 



Cut the beef into small pieces and sea- 

 son well with pepper and salt. Fry it in 

 the soup kettle with the onion and but- 

 ter until very brown. Then add the cold 

 water and let it simmer for an hour and 

 a half. Add the okra, and let it simmer 

 gently for three or four hours longer. 



Winter Okra Soup 



1 can of good New Orleans okra; 



1 can of tomatoes; 



2 onions, chopped fine; 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter; 

 1 dozen oysters; 



3 tablespoonfuls of rice; 



A red pepper pod, without the seeds. 



Chop the onions and fry them in the 

 butter. "Wash the rice well, then stew 

 the onions, tomatoes and pepper together 

 in about three quarts of water and one 

 pint of oyster water, for about three 

 hours, stirring frequently. Ten minutes 

 before serving add the okra and let it 

 come to a boil. Then drop in the oysters, 

 boil up once, and serve. 



