450 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



The tubers are planted in April or May, in the open ground, 

 20 in. apart in every direction. The hoe should be used occa- 

 sionally until the stems, spreading on the 

 ground, cover it entirely. The tubers 

 should not be taken up for use before 

 the latter end of autumn, after the early 

 frosts, as they do not form until late in 

 the season, and are not affected by frost 

 as long as they remain in the ground. 

 When boiled like Carrots or Potatoes, 

 the tubers are watery and rather un- 

 pleasant to taste, although the perfume 

 is agreeable. In Bolivia, where the plant 

 is much cultivated in high mountain 

 districts, the people freeze the tubers after 

 boiling them, and they are then con- 

 sidered a delicacy and are largely con- 

 sumed. In other places they are eaten 

 in a half-dried state, after having been 

 hung up in nets and exposed to the air 

 for some time. 



Nasturtium (Tuberous-rooted) 

 (tubers ^ natural size). 



BLACK-BERRIED NIGHTSHADE 



Solanum nigrum, L. SolanacecB. 



Frenchy Morelle noire. German, Nachtschatten-Spinat. Italian, Erba mora. 

 Spanish, Yerba mora. 



Native of Europe. — Annual. — A well - known wild plant, 

 generally regarded as a 

 weed, growing most usually 

 near dwelling-houses and 

 in cultivated ground. It 

 has an erect branching 

 stem from i J to 2 J ft. long, 

 with simple, broad, oval 

 leaves, often wavy at the 

 edges. Flowers white, star- 

 shaped, growing in small 

 axillary clusters, and suc- 

 ceeded by round berries, 

 about the size of a pea, of 

 a black or, rarely, amber- 

 yellow colour, and filled 

 with a green pulp, mixed 

 with very small pale- 

 yellow lenticular seeds. 



The germinating power of Black-berried Nightshade. 



