DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



53 



Salsify, or Vegetable Oyster. 



Fr. Salsifis. — Ger. Schwarwurzel. 



The Salsify has a grassy top and 

 a long, white, tapering root, nearly 

 resembling a small parsnip. It 

 closely assimilates to the taste and 

 flavor of the oyster, when properly 

 cooked, and is a good substitute for 

 it. It is very wholesome and nu- 

 tritious. 



Culture. — This plant succeeds 

 best in a light, well enriched soil, 

 which, previous to sowing, should 

 be stirred to the depth of twelve or 

 fourteen inches. Sow the Seed in 

 drills half an inch deep, and two 

 inches apart, early in the spring. 

 Thin them out when an inch high, 

 to four or six inches apart. Keep 

 them free from weeds, giving them 

 the general culture of carrots. 

 They are perfectly hardy, and may 

 remain out all winter. Store a 

 quantity for use packed in earth or 

 sand. Those remaining in the 

 ground should be dug before com- 



1 withstand the severest weather, with only a slight pro- 

 tection of leaves or straw. The seed is prickly, leaves 

 triangular, oblong, or arrow-shaped. It is employed 

 for fall sowing, which in this latitude, is made about the 

 first of September. 



Culture. — For summer use, sow in very rich ground 

 —the richer the better— in early spring, in drills one 

 foot apart. Thin by degrees, commencing when the 

 leaves are an inch wide, and continue regularly till the 

 plants stand six inches apart. This sowing must be cut 

 before the approach of hot weather, or it will run to seed. 

 For eariy spring use, the seed should be sown eariy in 

 autumn, and ever}' two weeks thereafter, if a succession 

 is desired. In the Northern States, the plants will re- 

 quire a slight protection of leaves or straw, but in the 

 Southern States, no protection is necessary, and they will 

 continue their growth most of the winter. 



Salsify 



mencing growth in the spnng. 



SPINAGE. 



Fr. Epinard. — Ger. Spinat. 

 The Spinage is verj- hardy, and consequently a very 

 important vegetable for cold climates. It merits atten- 

 tion from being extremely wholesome and palatable, and 

 from its green color, even after having been cooked. It 

 makes a delicious dish of greens, when served up with 

 the gravA- of roast meat, melted butter, &c., or simply 

 boiled and eaten with vinegar. 



Round Summer 

 — This variety is 

 generally preferred 

 for early sowing 

 and is the most 

 popular with our 

 market gardeners ; 

 leaves large, thick 

 and fleshy; not 

 quite so hardy as 

 the Prickly, b u t 

 stands the winter 

 ver>- well. 



I mproved 

 Thick-Leaved Summer.— An improvement on the 

 preceding, with larger and thicker leaves, and of more 

 substance. Particularlj' recommended for market gar- 

 den use. 



Savoy-Leaved. — The leaves of this variety are large, 

 of good substance, 

 and much wrinkled 

 or curled, like the 

 Savoy cabbage. It 

 is a sum.mer variety, 

 and growing in fa- 

 vor ; in the Southern 

 States, it is preferred 



to all others. It is 



':^i:;^^^g^j^' - JLT*^ -1^5^^;;^^^^ s a i d by Southern 

 ^ "^""^777 ""'**' market gardeners to 



Pr.CKiy Winter. yield twice the bulk 



of leaves of any other sort. 



Prickly Winter.— The hardiest variety, and will 



Thick-Leavea Summer. 



SQUASH. 



Fr. Courge. — Ger. Kuerbis. 



The Squash is a much esteemed vegetable, and in 

 some of its varieties, can be had for the table the greater 

 part of the year. Being very tender and sensitive of 

 cold, it cannot with safety be planted in the open 

 ground before the middle of spring. The different vari- 

 eties of squash intermix so easily that it is very difficult 

 to presen,'e each pure. 



Early Yellow Bush Scallop.— An early, flat, scal- 

 lop-shaped v a r i e t }'■ ; 

 color yellow; flesh 

 pale yellow, tolerably 

 fine-grained and well- 

 flavored ; very pro- 

 ductive ; used when 

 young and tender for 

 boiling, and at matur- 

 ity for making pies. 



Early Whi'te Bush 

 Scallop.— I dent ical 

 with the preceding, 

 except in color, which 

 is white. 



Summer Crookneck.— The richest and best sort for 

 summer ; verj- early and productive. It is small, crooked 

 neck, covered with warty excrescences, the more the 

 better ; color bright^ yellow ; shell ver>' hard when ripe. 



Summer Crookneck. 



:i;-' and tender, which may be 

 f the thumb nail through the 



It is used only when yor. 

 known by the pressure c 

 skin. 



Improved American Turban. — An excellent vari- 

 ety for use in the autumn and early winter. Flesh 

 orange yellow, thick, fine-grained, sug.irj' and welU 

 flavored. Usually of a greenish color, striped with 

 white, though often yellowi>h white, without stiipes. 

 In form, resembling a turban, or Turk's cap. This va- 

 riety is not to be confounded with the French Turban 

 variety, which is more showj', but inferior in quality. 



