OXALIS CRENATA 
73 
heavy soil ; and though the plant in good soil grows freely, 
I mean the top growth is ample, the tubers are not 
numerous unless the position is favourable and the 
summer most favourable. The best position should be 
given the plants, and at the start much time is gained by 
potting up the tuber and starting under glass. 
I have referred to the other variety, Deppi, a perennial 
plant and a native of Mexico introduced much at the 
same time as the first named variety, but this species is 
more used in a green state than the other, the young 
leaves being dressed like Sorrel. They are also used in 
soups and boiled as a vegetable with lamb or veal. The 
roots of this variety are fleshy, tapering, white, and clear, 
and the crowns or tops of the roots have a number of 
small scaly bulbs from which the plants are produced in 
abundance. This variety by many persons is preferred 
to the former as it is less acid, and when properly served 
makes a tender, succulent dish, easy to digest and a good 
dish for invalids. The roots when full grown are 3 to 
4 inches long and I to 2 inches in thickness, and the 
plant needs a rich root run, indeed any old spent manure 
or decayed vegetable mould will grow it well, but it needs 
much moisture and prefers a southern aspect. In a heavy 
clay soil it makes poor progress ; grown thus it runs along 
the surface and does not form its elongated or bulbous 
root. It comes freely from seed, but it is best grown 
from the off-sets or bulbs, these planted late in April. 
Twelve inches between the rows and half that distance in 
the row will be sufficient, as it will be seen. This variety 
is very different in growth from Crenata. The bulbs at 
planting should be made firm and only lightly covered 
with soil, and they do well if given a mulch of decayed 
manure in dry summer. The plants grow till cut down 
by frost, when they should be lifted, stored in sand, the 
crown growths removed and the bulbs stored till planting 
time. 
