84 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
A Convenient Propagating Case. 
The apparatus represented in the above en- 
graving, invented by C. B. Miller, of this City, 
is designed to furnish a simple, cheap, and ex- 
peditious mode of propagating plants by cut- 
tings, and starting seeds difficult of growth. It 
consists of a zinc vessel, b, for holding small pots 
which are set in the top, c. "When in use, the 
hollow part, d, is to be partly filled with water, 
enough to nearly reach the bottom of the pots. 
The lower division, e, is also hollow, and its 
bottom rim fits upon the broad-based lamp, a. 
Air for the flame is supplied through the holes 
shown near e. The wick tube of the lamp is 
made very small, only large enough for a bit of 
cotton twine. Alcohol or burning fluid is used 
in the lamp. The bottom of the division, b, im- 
mediately above the flame of the lamp when the 
two parts are fitted together, is cone-shaped, to 
receive and retain the heat, and communicate it 
to the surrounding water. The small amount of 
steam generated, gives a uniform and gentle 
bottom heat, and sufficient moisture to the plants 
or seeds contained in the pots, thus affording the 
most favorable conditions for growth. If it be 
desired to keep a humid atmosphere about the 
cuttings, a glass tumbler is placed over each pot. 
The apparatus is neatly made, occupies but lit- 
tle space, and costs from $3 to $5, according to 
size. By its use, amateurs can supply them- 
selves and their friends with many choice plants 
which would otherwise be unattainable save 
from the collections of professional nurserymen. 
A Mess of Greens. 
Most people highly enjoy a dish of greens. It 
is the first contribution of the season which the 
garden makes to the table, and it brings- the 
assurance that Spring is at hand, and is a prom- 
ise of more good things to come. Many per- 
sons rely upon the spontaneous growth of the 
fields and make use of dandelions, marsh-mari- 
golds (improperly called cowslip), clock, and 
other things. These are better than nothing, 
but they are far inferior to what may be pro- 
duced with a little care from the garden. At the 
head of the list we put Spinach, as the most de- 
licious of all. This can be had very early by 
planting in the Fall and giving a slight protec- 
tion through the Winter. Or sow in Spring as 
soon as the ground is suitable and the rapidly 
growing plants will give an early supply to the 
table. Next, we place the Swiss Chard, a kind of 
beet which is grown for the leaves only, the root 
being small and useless. The outer leaves are 
pulled off for use and others quickly succeed 
them ; a small bed will supply a family. Cab- 
bage stumps, and turnips planted out, will yield 
numerous shoots which make good greens. 
They should be taken when still tender. Young 
beets, which are pulled up when the beds are 
thinned, are cooked with the roots on and are 
relished by many. Borecole or kale is a great 
favorite with the Germans. This is a hardy kind 
of cabbage which does not head, but forms a tuft 
of leaves which are eaten after they have been 
exposed to frost. Planted in the Fall and left 
out with little or no protection, it furnishes an 
abundant stock of greens early in the season. 
These are the principal varieties of greens 
grown in the garden, though others are occa- 
sionally used. The custom of boiling greens 
with pork or other fat meat is a bad one. The 
delicate flavor of spinach especially is destroyed 
in this way, and all greens are rendered less di- 
gestible. It is much better to boil them in pure 
water and dress them with butter and other 
seasoning as they are sent to the table. 
Salsify or "Vegetable Oyster". 
This vegetable is not as extensively cultivated 
as it would be, were it better known. It is 
grown with the same ease as carrots and pars- 
nips, and helps make up an agreeable variety 
for the table. It should be sown upon good, 
rich soil, which should be worked deeply. Some 
English cultivators prepare the soil by bastard 
trenching, — that is, the top soil is removed a 
spade deep, an abundant supply of manure 
spaded into the soil below, and then the top por- 
tion is returned. By having the richest soil be- 
low, it is claimed that the roots have much less 
tendency to fork. We have found no difficulty 
in cultivating it, without this trouble, in soil pre- 
pared as for other root crops. The seed, which 
should be of the growth of the previous year, 
should be planted as soon as the soil becomes 
warm. Plant in rows 15 inches apart, and at 
the first weeding, thin out to 4 or 5 inches in the 
rows. The after-culture consists in keeping 
down the weeds until the leaves become so 
large that it is difficult to work among them with 
a hoe. The roots may be used when they are 
as large as the little finger; they increase in 
size until the growing season is over, but never 
grow to be much over an inch in diameter. The 
supply, required for use during Winter may 
be buried in sand in the cellar, and the remain- 
der left out to be dug in the Spring. Some of 
the finest plants should be left for seed, which 
is produced the second year. Birds, especially 
the yellow bird, are exceedingly fond of the 
seed, and, where these are numerous, it is diffi- 
cult to secure it. The best way is to cut up the 
plant, before the seeds are fully ripe, and place 
them undercover to mature. The root is cooked 
in various ways. It may be boiled and mashed, 
and dipped in batter and fried, or cut in slices 
and stewed with the addition of milk and but- 
ter, after the manner of oysters. Boiled soft, first 
with water and then with milk, it makes a very 
good " oyster soup." The addition of a little 
salt codfish picked fine, makes the resemblance 
to oyster soup sufficiently near to warrant the 
name " vegetable oyster." When prepared for 
cooking, it should be scraped and thrown into 
water; this will prevent the milky juice which 
the root contains from turning brown, as it 
will do if exposed for a long time to the air. 
» i «i» — » » 
Chicory. 
In a former volume of the Agriculturist we gave 
some articles upon the culture of this plant. It 
is now attracting so much attention that we pre- 
sent a brief account of it in reply to frequent 
inquiries. It is botauically known as Chicorium 
Intybus, and is sometimes confounded with the 
endive, which is a different species, (Chicorium 
Endivia.) The plant is a native of Southern Eu- 
rope, and has become introduced into this coun- 
try where, especially near the Eastern cities, it is 
a very common weed. The fleshy perennial 
root throws up a stem the second year which 
bears an abundance of pretty blue flowers, 
which open only in the sunshine. The general 
appearance of the plant in the wild state is well 
represented in the engraving; the detached 
flower is about half the natural size. Like the 
dandelion, to which it is closely related, all parts 
of the plant have a milky juice. In Europe the 
blanched leaves are used as a salad, but it is for 
the root that the plant is chiefly cultivated. The 
roasted root has long been used to mix with 
coffee, and, now that the real article bears so 
high a price, it is advocated as a substitute. 
The culture is the same as that of carrots, 
about four pounds of seed being required for an 
acre. The roots may be taken up in the Fall or 
in the Spring before the flower stalk shoots up ; 
some claim that the roots are of better quality 
when two or three years old. The root is 
washed, sliced, and dried, and then roasted or 
burned. In England, 1 lb. of lard is added to 
50 lbs. of the chicory while roasting, in or- 
der to improve its appearance. With regard to 
the propriety of using this as a constant bevcr- 
