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THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



OKA-PLANT 



Oxalis crenata, J acq. Oxalidacece. 



French, Oxalis crenelee. Flejiiish^ Zuerklaver. Spanish {American), Oka. 



Native of Peru. — Perennial, but cultivated as an 'annual. — Stem 

 fleshy, red, prostrate, bearing very numerous leaves, composed of 

 three rounded triangular thick leaflets ; flowers axillary, with five 

 yellow petals striped with purple at the base ; tubers swollen, long 

 ovoid, marked with hollows and protuberances (like some kinds of 

 Potatoes, especially the Vitelotte variety), and narrowed at the end 

 which joins the stem ; skin very smooth, and of a yellow, white, or 

 red colour. 



Culture. — The Oka-plant is easily propagated from the 

 tubers, which are planted in May, in light rich soil, in rows 

 which should not be less than 3 ft. apart, on account of the 



spreading growth of the 

 stems of the plant. As 

 it continues to grow for 

 a long time and is very 

 sensitive to cold, it is 

 better, if possible, to start 

 the tubers in a hot-bed in 

 March, and plant them 

 out in May, at which 

 time they will be pretty 



Tubers of Oka-plant {\ natural size). forward. As the Stems 



lengthen, they should be 

 covered with light soil or compost, in order to promote the 

 formation of nev/ tubers, taking care to leave 6 or 8 in. of the 

 end of the stem uncovered. The tubers do not commence to 

 swell until rather late in the season, and are not gathered until 

 the ends of the stems have been killed by frosty weather. In 

 France they seldom grow as large as a hen's egg. 



Uses. — The tubers are highly esteemed in Peru and Bolivia, 

 where they are largely used. Recently gathered, they have a very 

 acid, and not very agreeable, taste. In South America they get rid 

 of this acidity by putting tubers into woollen bags and exposing 

 them to the action of the sun, the effect of which is that in a few 

 days they become floury and sweet. If they are kept thus exposed 

 for several weeks, they dry up, become wrinkled, and acquire a 

 flavour which resembles that of dried Figs. In this condition they 

 are known by the name CaiiH' In addition to the tubers, the 

 leaves and young shoots may be eaten as salad or as Sorrel. 



Two varieties of this plant have been introduced into France, 

 namely, the Yellow and the Red, differing from each other only in 

 the colour of the tubers. The Yellow variety has spontaneously 



