276 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



kept clean and thinned to the proper distance, is not so 

 liable to die out in winter. Frec[uent hoeing greatly pro- 

 motes health and growth. This soAving will be fit to 

 gather in November, and last until spring. Another sow- 

 ing should be made in January and February, to keep up 

 a succession, until other vegetables come on abundantly. 

 Regular gathering greatly promotes the health of the 

 plants. The outer leaves only should be used, leaving the 

 centre uninjured to supply successive crops. At the end 

 of the winter, the soil between the rows of the wintei' 

 standing crop should be gently stirred to assist their pro- 

 duction in early spring. For spinach and all other plants 

 cidtivatccl for their leaves, the soil cannot be too rich. 



For Seed. — Some of the latest plants of the standing 

 crop should be allowed to run up to seed ; let these plants 

 be eight or ten inches apart. Spinach is dioecious, and the 

 plants left that do not bear seed must not be pulled up, as 

 they are needed to fertilize the others until the seed is set. 

 When ripe, pull the plants, dry thoroughly on a cloth, 

 and beat out and store the seed in paper bags. Spinach 

 seed will l^;eep three years. 



Use. — Spinach and German Greens are the best plants 

 to raise for a supply of winter and early spring greens. 

 No frost will hurt them, and one who has tried them will 

 hardly be induced to fall back upon mustard and turnip 

 tops. It is really one of the most valuable plants in the 

 garden. Spinach eaten freely is laxative and cooling; it is 

 not very nutritive, but very wholesome. It is so innocent 

 that it is permitted to be eaten in diseases where most 

 vegetables are proscribed. The leaves are very tender 

 and succulent, and of a most beautiful green when boiled. 

 The juice is often used for coloring various culinary pre- 

 parations. 



To Boil. — Out off all the roots, wash out all insects and 



