38 
JOHNSON, ROBBERS, & CO'S. 
manure should then be slightly worked in, and the ground 
raked even and compressed by a roller, or beaten with the back 
of a spade. The ground being thus prepared, may next be 
divided into beds, four feet wide, with one-foot alleys between, 
for garden culture, and then marked off in shallow drills, from 
seven to twelve inches apart, into which the seed may be 
thinly sown, say half an inch asunder, and firmly trodden in 
with the foot, or beat in with the back of a spade. Next, a 
small quantity of fine earth, taken from the alleys, may 'be 
sprinkled over the seed, and finally evened with a coarse- 
toothed rake. For field culture, where many acres are to be 
seeded at one time, these beds may be evenly sown broadcast, 
but not too thick, after which they may be compressed with a 
roller or trodden with the feet, and then slightly covered with 
fine earth from the alleys, and levelled with a rake. In per- 
forming this operation, the teeth of the rake should be set 
wider apart than usual ; otherwise,,the seed will be drawn into 
heaps, and cause irregularity in the crop. 
Soon after the plants are up, they should be carefully 
cleared of weeds, and be frequently hoed during the season. 
When they are three inches high, thin them out to two 
inches apart. Nothing further will be required than keeping 
them free from weeds by hoeing, which must strictly be at- 
tended to until the onions are ready to harvest. 
In wet seasons, and sometimes from late sowings, onions are 
liable to grow thick-necked. In such cases, they should be 
gently bent down with the head of a wooden rake, which 
will check their growth, and cause them sooner to mature. 
OKRA, OR GOMBO. /sj 
Hibiscus tscuhntus,, Or BotjlnistsT^ 
Gombo, French 
Quimbombo Spanish' 
Oombo, Gkrmar. 
Tuis plant is somewhat extensively cultivated for its green 
need pods, which are put into soups, or stewed by themselves, 
and Bervcd up with butter. There are two Varieties, the 
Green and the While. 
