274 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



and mashed, before going to the table. Starch can be 

 manufactured from potatoes ; also ardent spirits. 



To Boil. — A very common way, described by Peabody, 

 is to " put them into cold water, boil them a couple of 

 hours or so, peel them, and grease them over with rancid 

 butter, and place them cold upon the table. This is the 

 acme of the gastronomic art with some." A very good 

 way is the following : — Wash the potatoes, and cut off the 

 ends ; put them into boiling Avater, and boil briskly from 

 twenty minutes to half an hour ; drain off the water, and 

 they are ready for the table. The skins may be removed 

 before bringing to the table ; but this is not so good a plan. 

 If the potatoes remain, after cooking, without being brought 

 to the table, they should be kept warm and dry in the pot, 

 uncovered, near the fire 



Spinacea Oleracea — Spinach. 



Spinach is a hardy annual, native of Spain and Persia ; 

 cultivated in English gardens since 1568, and probably 

 long before. Some refer its origin to Western Asia. The 

 leaves are large, stems hollow, and the male and female 

 flowers produced on different plants. Its name, spinacea, 

 is derived from the Latin, spina, a thorn, on account of the 

 prickly seed of one variety. There are two sorts in gen- 

 eral cultivation, viz. :— 



The Prickly is much raised in cold climates; being 

 hardier, and more able to endure the severity of the win- 

 ter. It has triangular leaves, and is much inferior to the 



Round-Leaved.— Le2iYe.s more round, and still more full 

 and fleshy; will stand our winters without protection, 

 and is the better variety for this climate. 



Flanders sj)inach has prickly seeds, and is a good 

 variety, though little known here. 



