OKA-PLANT 



453 



produced a sub-variety, with pure white tubers, which reproduces 

 itself exactly, but appears to be inferior to the other two kinds in 

 vigour and quality for table use. 



OKRA, or GOMBO 



Hibiscus esculentus, L. MalvacecB. 



French, Gombo. Italian^ Ibisco. Spanish, Gombo ; (^American), Quimbombo. 



Native of South America. — Annual. — Stem stout, erect, 

 branching but little or not at all, from 20 in. to over 3 ft. high, 

 according to the variety ; leaves very large, five-lobed, toothed, 

 dark green on the upper surface, slightly gray underneath, with 

 very prominent veins ; flowers solitary in the axils of the leaves, 

 wath five straw-coloured petals, brown or violet in the centre ; 

 fruit pyramidal, ending in a point, with five prominent ribs, and 



divided into five cells or 

 compartments filled with 

 rather large gray or pale 

 green seeds, nearly spheri- 

 cal in shape and rough 

 skinned. The germinating 

 power of the latter lasts 

 for five years. 



Culture. — Like the 

 Egg-plant and the Tomato, 

 the Gombo requires arti- 

 ficial heat in the climate 

 of Paris, while in warmer 

 climates it may be sown 

 and grown in the open air. 

 The seed is usually sown 

 in a hot-bed in February, 

 the seedlings are pricked 

 out into another hot-bed, 

 and are finally planted out 

 in May, after which the 

 plants only require plenti- 

 ful watering to attain their 

 full growth. 



Uses. — In the Colonies 

 the young and tender seed-vessels are very extensively used as a 

 table vegetable. They are exceedingly mucilaginous, and when 

 cut into thin slices are made into soups and sauces, which are 

 highly esteemed by the Creoles. The ripe seeds also are parched 

 and used instead of Coffee. The infusion which is obtained from 



Long-fruited Green Okra (seed-vessels 

 \ natural size). 



