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THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



MUSTARD (WHITE or SALAD) 



Sinapis alba, L. Cruciferce. 



French, Moutarde blanche. Ger?nan, Gelber Senf. Flemish, Witte mostaard. Dutch, 

 Gele mosterd or mostaard. Italian, Senapa bianca. Spanish, Mostaza blanca. 



Native of Europe. — Annual. — A plant of rapid growth. Stem 

 thick, often angular, branching, bearing incised leaves with rounded 

 segments ; flowers yellow, in terminal spikes ; seed-vessels slightly 

 hairy, terminating in a flat, membranous kind of beak, and swollen 

 at the sides over the seeds. There are usually from three to four 

 seeds in each side of the silique or pod, which is divided into two 

 parts by a thin membranous partition. The seeds are white, quite 

 spherical, and about the size of a Millet-secd. Their germinating 

 power lasts for four years. The seed may be sown in pots, either 

 in the open air or in a frame, and is cut as soon as the seed-leaves 

 are well grown and of a good green, which is usually about six or 

 eight days after the seed is sown. The leaves of this plant are 

 generally only sent to table while they are quite young, when they 

 are used in salads and for garnishing. 



MUSTARD (BLACK, BROWN, or GROCER'S) 



Brassica nigra^ Koch ; Sinapis nigra, L. Cruciferce. 



French, Moutarde noire. German, Schwarzer oder Brauner Senf. Flemish, Zwarte 

 mostaard. Dutch, Bruine mosterd or mostaard. Spanish, Mostaza negra. 



Native of Europe. — Annual. — A plant with a rather slender 

 stem. Radical leaves oblong, lyrate ; stem-leaves becoming 

 narrower as they approach the top of the stem ; flowers yellow, 

 in terminal spikes ; siliques or seed-vessels long and slender, each 

 containing about twenty small, almost spherical, red-brown seeds. 

 The germinating power of the latter lasts for four years. 



The Large-seeded Black Mustard is remarkable for the large 

 size of its yellow-green leaves. The Small-seeded Black Mustard 

 of Sicily appears to come nearer the wild form of the plant. Its 

 leaves are about one-third smaller than those of the Alsace variety, 

 and are also a darker green. 



Like the White Mustard, this plant is only grown in kitchen- 

 gardens for the sake of its young leaves, which are similarly used, 

 and it is grown in precisely the same way. The ground seeds 

 form the mustard of commerce or grocer's mustard. 



CHINESE CABBAGE-LEAVED MUSTARD 



Native of China. — Annual. — A large plant, attaining the 

 height of from 4 to 5 ft. when in flower. Radical leaves very 



