6 BULLETIN 84, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
It is cultivated essentially for its root, which has an agreeable flavor, aro- 
matic and bitter, and is eaten in winter prepared as we do the scorzonera (£. 
hispanica L.). The young shoots form a deliciois vegetable. 
As the plant grows well all over Japan, it will acclimate itself quite as 
well to our gardens; and this is why, cultivated with us, it may increase the 
number of our fresh vegetables by the addition of one which is good, whole- 
some, and nourishing. (Free translation.) 
In that remarkable book by Paillieux and Bois, Le Potager dun 
Curieux, 1 the anthers give their experience with uclo at their gardens 
near Crosnes. They experienced such difficulty in raising the plant 
from seed that they concluded, quite erroneously, as we have dis- 
covered, that uclo seed must be sown as soon as mature or it will not 
germinate. 
After several attempts to get living plants, dating from 1879. they 
were finally able to secure 10 cf them. These grew very satisfac- 
torily in their garden and, according to their report, they obtained, 
by blanching, very appetizing-locking shoots, resembling those of 
medium- agus. Unfortunately, the taste did not strike 
them favorably. They objected to the faint suggestion of turpen- 
tine and predicted the failure of uclo in Europe. 
How extensive the trials of Paillieux and Bois were the writer has 
not ascertained, but from his own experience he realizes how easy it 
is to form an unfavorable impression regarding the flavor of a new 
vegetable, and, judging from seven years of trial, in which he ha-, 
submitted udo to the judgment cf a great many people, he believes 
it is fair to conclude, since no recipes and only the barest details are 
given in their report, that the culinary trials made by these authors 
were quite inadequate to do justice to its excellent qualities. 
Xotwithstanding the fact that raw- potatoes, improperly blanched 
celery, raw asparagus, and raw beets are all most disagreeable to the 
taste, the tendency is to overlook this and to condemn raw uclo. 
comparing it with blanched celery, when in reality it has too strong 
a flavor to be eaten without first preparing it for the table in the 
proper way. 
RELATIVES OF UDO. 
There are two native species of the genus to which the udo belongs 
which resemble it quite closely in appearance — the spikenard or 
petty morel of our rich woodland \ L.) and a Cali- 
fornia species {Aralla califomica S. Wats.). The spikenard is said 
to grow in the shade to a height of -1 or 5 feet, but a plant which 
the writer has had in his experimental garden in full sunlight for 
four years has never grown more than 3 feet high. This plant 
flowers n • than Aralia . bout the middle of July 
1 Pni,- 
