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GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



The salts found in the aslies are mainly potash and lime, 

 the former very largely. 



Culture. — It flourishes best in a rich, light soil, with an 

 open exposure, but will thrive in almost any soil or loca- 

 tion. Plant from December to March, either small tubers 

 or the large ones, cut into sets of one or two eyes, four 

 inches deep, in rows three and a half feet each way. Keep 

 the ground free from weeds and earth up slightly. They 

 will be fit for use in the fall. Take care to dig them up 

 thoroughly, as the slightest piece will vegetate. They 

 will grow on land too poor for almost anything else 

 If the top be cut off one-half way down in August, it is 

 said by some that the size of the tuber will be very much 

 increased by the admission of air and light. This is 

 doubtful. 



Use. — The roots are eaten boiled, mashed with butter, 

 are considerably nutritive, and have a moist soft texture, 

 and tolerably agreeable taste. It is however, rather a 

 second-rate dish. They are better pickled in vinegar. 

 The plant is most useful in feeding cows and pigs, afford- 

 ing large quantities of food from quite poor soils. 



Hibiscus Esculentus — Okra. 

 This is an annual plant, a native of the West-Indies, 

 and much esteemed and cultivated wherever its merits 

 are known. It is of quite recent introduction into our 

 gardens. 



There are two varieties of Okra, the round, smooth 

 green, and the long fluted or ribbed white, but there 

 seems to be little difference in quality or otherwise, except 

 in the shape of the pods. 



Okra likes a good dry soil. Any soil will produce it 

 that is good enough for the cotton plant, to the natural 

 family of which it belongs. The pods are not as pleasant 



