262 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



well m very dry ground in this climate. It is propagated 

 by seeds or by off-sets of established roots. Seedlings 

 produce the best roots. Sow any time in march, in drills 

 an inch deep and ten inches apart. Sprinkle a few radish 

 seed in the drill as directed for carrots. When the plants 

 are an inch or two high, thin to six or eight inches apart. 

 Cultivate like salsify and keep clear from weeds. They 

 will be fit for use in August but can remain in the ground, 

 to use as wanted, all winter. Slips of the old roots may 

 be set out nine inches apart and cultivated in the same 

 manner. Leave some of the plants in the ground and 

 they will throw up seed-stalks and ripen seed during the 

 summer following. 



Use. — The tubers are boiled and are very sweet, some- 

 what like the parsnip, and are thought more palatable. 

 They are boiled and served up with butter, or cold with 

 vinegar and oil, and are also cooked like salsify in batter. 

 It was formerly esteemed as " the sweetest, whitest, and 

 most pleasant of roots."' 



Solanum Lycopersicum — Tomato. 



The Tomato is a tender annual, a native of South Amer- 

 ica, and introduced into England in 1596. It belongs 

 to the same genus with the potato and egg-plant. It is 

 scarcely twenty years since its culture was commenced in 

 this country. " In 1828-9" says Buist, " it was almost 

 detested ; in ten years more, every variety of pill and pana- 

 cea was " extract of tomato." It was long cultivated in 

 the flower garden for its beautiful red and yellow fruit, 

 which was not used for food, but by many considered 

 poisonous. It is now one of the most popular vegetables 

 in cultivation, and springs up self-sown in all our gardens. 

 There are many varieties. 



The Large Red which is cultivated all over the Unions is 



