276 
PLANTS USED AS SUBSTITUTES FOR SPINACH. 
(Rumeso Patientia,) a species of dock, a na- 
tive of Italy, and introduced here at a very 
early period. It is a strong-growing perennial 
plant, with long, sharp-pointed leaves, and at- 
tains a height of ahout five feet when allowed 
to flower, which it does in June. The seeds of 
this plant should be sown in March or the be- 
ginning of April, in drills from twelve to eigh- 
teen inches apart, according to the fertility of 
the ground. They should be kept clear of 
weeds, and thinned out to about nine inches 
apart in the rows. A slight coat of dung should 
be spread on the ground, and dug in, in the 
spring ; and when the leaves are nearly half 
grown, they may be gathered for use. If the 
plants are strong, they will bear two or three 
cuttings during the season, and with a repeti- 
tion of the routine culture above indicated, they 
will last several years. In cooking, a portion 
of sorrel should be added to the leaves. It is a 
good deal cultivated in the north of Europe, 
where the winters are too cold for the Spinach. 
The Wild Spinach, or Good King Henry, 
( Chenopodium Bonus Henricus,) is a native 
of loamy soils in many parts of the kingdom. 
It grows about two feet high, producing large 
triangular leaves, and flowering in June. It 
may be propagated by dividing the roots, or by 
seed, as recommended for the last plant, to 
which its treatment should be assimilated ; and 
being like that, a perennial of strong growth, 
a plantation of it will last several years, if the 
leaves are not cut over too often. 
Nearly all our other native Chenopodiums 
are used as substitutes for Spinach, but they 
occur so abundantly in a wild state, that there 
is no occasion to introduce them to the garden, 
being there some of the worst annual weeds the 
gardener has to contend with. They are ge- 
nerally called Fat Hen, especially C. album 
and 0. urbicum, two of the most common, and 
best for this purpose when gathered quite 
young. Generally growing with them, closely 
allied to them botanically, and no doubt equally 
useful, are found various species of annual 
Orache, (Atriplex,) one sort of which, grow- 
ing on the sea-coast, (A. Utioralis,) has been 
recommended as supplying a very good pot- 
herb. 
Several species of Amaranths are grown in 
hot climates, especially in the East Indies and 
China, where they supply the place of Spinach, 
being by some preferred to that vegetable. In 
this country none of the species seem to grow 
sufficiently well in the open air during our sum- 
mers, to enable us to judge of their usefulness 
as potherbs. But in pits or on hotbeds they 
can be well grown, and in a small space of 
time, and they are much liked by those who 
have tried them. 
The San-Tsi, of China is the Amaranthus 
ohraceus, and is very extensively cultivated in 
that country. It appears to vary according to 
locality, a variety grown at Shanghai being 
much inferior in the size and succulency of the 
leaf, to another variety grown at Chusan. This 
latter sort grows nearly three feet high, pro- 
ducing blunt waved leaves, about five inches 
long, and half as broad. The whole plant, in- 
eluding the flowers, is of a pale green colour. 
The leaves, when cooked, have a slight acidity, 
which considerably improves their flavour. 
The White-stemmed Amaranth (Amaran- 
thus albus) is a species much valued in the 
East Indies for its succulency and delicate ap- 
pearance. It attains about the same height as 
the last, the stem and branches of a clear white 
colour, the leaves ovate on long footstalks, and 
the greenish flowers produced in axillary spikes. 
To grow this plant well, it appears to require 
a moist high temperature, a good dung-bed 
being a favourable situation for it. The heat 
should vary from 70° to 80°, and the plants 
should be shaded from bright sunshine. Un- 
der such treatment the crop would be ready 
in two months, and a second crop may be had 
from the same plants, by not cutting too close 
the first time. The leaves form an excellent 
Spinach, and the stems are cut up and dressed 
in the manner of sea-kale or asparagus. As 
all depends on rapid growth with this descrip- 
tion of plant, a very rich light soil should be 
used, and all checks to their expansion should 
be carefully guarded against.* 
In addition to the above may be mentioned 
Basella alba, rubra, and nigra, plants requir- 
ing similar treatment to the last mentioned, and 
therefore not likely to excite much attention 
here, although they are extensively cultivated 
in the warmer parts of China. They are an- 
nual or biennial plants, although when grown 
for this purpose they would of course all be 
treated as annual. 
The young leaves and shoots of the sea-beet 
(Beta maritima) afford a very tender Spinach 
in early spring, and could be easily gathered on 
many parts of the coast by those who wished to 
try their quality. 
Perhaps hardly any of our wild plants has 
been so much used as a spring Spinach, or has 
so well retained its place to the present day 
amongst the peasantry, as young nettle tops, 
(Urtica dioica.) The stinging-nettle certainly 
affords a potherb of no little merit, although 
many affect to turn up their noses at so com- 
mon a plant. The annual species could be 
made to produce a much more succulent green, 
later in the season, if the flavour should recom- 
mend them. 
But a list of plants used as substitutes for 
* Other species of Amaranths cultivated by the Chi- 
nese as spinaceous plants, are A. polygamus, A. Iristis, 
and most probably several others of this very extensive 
genus,— the veriest weeds of tropical climates. 
