282 



SPINACH, OR SPINAGE 



root is composed of fleshy tubers, about the size of the lit* 

 tie finger, and joined together at the crown or head : they 

 were formerly much esteemed in cookery. In the north of 

 Scotland, the plant is cultivated under the name of crwm- 

 moch 



" Culture,-— Hhh plant grows freely in a lightish soil, 

 moderately good. It is propagated both from seed, and by 

 offsets of established roots. The better method is, to raise 

 seedlings, to have the root in perfection, young and tender. 



" By seed, — ' Sow between the 21st of March and the 

 15th of April; a fortnight later, rather than any earlier, for 

 a full crop, as plants raised forward in spring are apt to start 

 for seed in summer. Sow on an open compartment of light 

 ground, in small drills eight inches apart. When the plants 

 are one or two inches high, thin them to five or six inches 

 asunder. They will enlarge in growth till the end of au- 

 tumn ; but before the roots are full grown, in August, Sep- 

 tember, or October, some may be taken up for consumption 

 as wanted : those left to reach maturity will continue good 

 for use throughout winter, and in spring, till the stems run.' 



" By slips. — ' Having some plants of last year's rais- 

 ing, furnished with root-offsets, slip them off ; taking only 

 the young outward slips, and not leaving any of the larger 

 old roots adhering to the detached offsets ; which plant by 

 dibble, in rows from six to nine inches asunder. They 

 will soon strike, and enlarge, and divide into offsets ; which, 

 as well as the main roots, are eatable, and come in for use 

 in proper season.' 



" To save seed, — Leave some old plants in the spring ; 

 they will shoot up stalks, and ripen seed in autumn." — Lou- 

 don, 



" Use. — The tubers are boiled, served up with butter, 

 and are declared by Worlidge, in 1682, to be 'the sweet- 

 est, whitest, and most pleasant of roots.' " — Loudon. The 

 common skirret has an agreeable aromatic flavour, and 

 abounds with saccharine particles : hence it has been con- 

 jectured that sugar might be advantageously extracted from 

 the root ; and M. Margraff states, that he obtained one ounce 

 and a half of pure sugar from half a pound of this vegetar 

 ble. In a medicinal view, it possesses diuretic properties, 

 and is in a slight degree stimulant. — Dom. Encyc, 



SPINACH, or SVm AGE,— Spinacia oleracea,— The 

 common spinage is an annual plant, but it is not known of 

 ',^^hat country it is a native. The leaves are ^ large, the 

 stems hollow, branching, and, when allowed to produce 



