Rosella 
The distinctive flavor of Rosella is sharp 
and refreshing. It makes delicious jelly and 
can also be used for flavoring puddings and 
and sauces. 
It prefers a sub-tropical climate, growing 
very well in Southern Rhodesia, in Natal 
and in most of South Africa so that there is 
no reason why it should not do equally wel 
in parts of America where summers are long | 
and warm. 
Rosella belongs to the same family as 
Hibiscus, Mallows and the vegetable called 
Okra. 
They all have 
Roselle are almost identical in shape. The 
Rosella bush, however, grows much taller 
and is very colourful. It has maroon stems, 
and the calyx that covers the pods, instead 
of being green, is brilliant crimson. 
Rosella is a hardy annual and will grow 
from seed in most fertile soils that are not 
water-logged. 
The seed is dark brown and hard, about 
the size of a tomato seed and quick to germ- 
inate. It should be sown thinly in drills as 
similar flowers and the | 
leaves and seed pods of both Okra and! 
soon as frosts are over and transplanted 3 fee 
feet each way when thhe seedlings are 4 
inches high. 
Well grown plants reach about 7 or 8 
feet in height. 
As the season advances, numerous buds be- 5 
gin to form in the axils of the main stem and 
along the lateral branches. Then a_ pale 
yellow flower opens out and its calyx begins j 
to develope. This is the edible part of the 
plant. 
The calyx becomes fleshy and turns a 
beautiful crimson, the flowers start to wilt 
and the seed pods swell. 
The time to pick the pods is just after 
the flowers have fallen and while the whole 
pod snaps off the stalk cleanly without any 
fibres. 
Young pods contain a lot of pectin, which, 
is the ingredient that makes Rosella jelly 
set so well. If the pods are over-ripe, they 
become full of fibre and the amount of 
pectin is so reduced that the setting prop- 
erties are lost. Rosella then becomes unsuit- 
able for anything but drying. 
To make Rosella jelly, strip off the red} 
3 Ibs red; 
calyx and discard all seed pods. 
calyx to 5 pints of cold water; boil for hal 
hour and strain. 
boil for 20 minutes, then add 1 lb. sugar to 
every pint of juice. Boil for 
minutes or till it sets. Test on a cold 
saucer. 
For drying Rosella, strip off the red calyx 
and dry it in the sun or warm oven till all 
moisture has evaporated. Store in an air- 
tight container; dried Rosella keeps indef- 
initely. 
For flavoring gelatine moulds, corn-flour 
puddings or sauces, boil 1 tablespoonful of 
dried calyx to 1 pint of water till the juice 
is well coloured. Strain; add sugar to taste, 
oil up again and use the syrup as required. 
(Note: Rosella is listed under Hibiscus 
Sabdariffa). 
By Mrs L. Thurburn, South Rhodesia. 
TRILLIUMS SLOW TO GERMINATE 
It not only is slow to germinate but not 
too easy either. Sowing the seed in sphag- 
num moss and placing in a dark place may 
solve the trouble. 
CLEISTOGAMY AND VIOLAS 
The habit know as cleistogamy is present 
in Violets where the flower is fertilized by 
bees very early in the spring and to over- 
come any shortage of bees during this cold 
part of the year, the flower can self-fertilize 
itself later on. 
Thus look for a second crop down in 
the leaves. These buds are formed in late 
summer. 
Put back on the fire and. 
another 10; 
Chamaerhops 
humilis—the only native 
European Palm (left foreground) 
387 
at the 
Fairchild Tropical Gardens. 
Planting Trees 
_ It is seldom that we hear of people plant- 
ing a tree to celabrate some event. This 
should be done more. 
A recent bulletin from the Michigan State 
College mentions some historical trees plant- 
ed on the campus here at East Lansing. 
One stately White Pine was planted by 
President Abbot when his daughter Mary 
was born; she was married beneath it 
twenty years later. There are several Cercis 
canadensis, or Red Bud trees on the Campus 
and one perfect specimen is know as the 
Liberty Hyde Bailey tree, named after Dr. 
Bailey in 1882. 
Another famous trees is kown as the 
“Old Beech” tree. It stands out alone with 
its branches touching the ground, a beautiful 
Beech. 
A beautiful specimen of our Rock Elm 
was planted by the Class of 1991, under 
which the Class buried a steel box contain- 
ing Class mentoes. It now is a large spec- 
imum. 
In recent years a few other trees have 
been planted by various groups. One of 
the oldest trees on thhe Campus is the “‘ging- 
ko tree, planted by Dr. Thurber, the second 
professor of horticulture, between 1860 and 
1863. There are other trees that could ba 
mentioned, for instance, the tree that Teddy 
Boel planted when at the College in 
Se 
There are some 2,200 varieties and 
species of woody shrubs and trees on tha 
Campus of 628 acres, among which are 
Magnolias, with their fragrant, large, white, 
pink and purple flowers; flowering Crabs; 
Hawthorns and the double-flowering Chin- 
ese Cherry trees. 
WHAT TOBACCO? 
In pioneer days mention is made of ‘“tob- 
acco” being grown in the Snake River coun- 
try. It is a ‘“tolerably good substitute for 
the cultivated species, for the purpose of 
smoking but it is unfit to chew. The plant 
closely resembles garden sage and forms into 
heads similiar to domestic flax.’ 
NEW ZEALAND READERS 
Any remittences you wish to make to me 
can be mailed to me at Boronia, Victoria; 
personal checks will be accepted. This ar- 
rangement will meet your currency regulat- 
ions; figure your shilling at 14 cents. 
