THE FIELD AND GARDEN VEGETABLES OF AMERICA TEXT

perceptible difference in the varieties. SWEET SPANISH. Piment monstreux. _Vil._ Fruit obtusely conical, often four inches in length, and nearly three inches in diameter,--brilliant glossy scarlet at maturity; stem strong and sturdy, two feet or more in height; leaves large, but narrower than those of the Large Bell; flowers white, and of large size,--usually an inch and a half in diameter; fruit sometimes erect, but generally drooping. Though one of the largest varieties, the Sweet Spanish is also one of the earliest. The flesh is sweet, mild, and pleasant; and the variety is much esteemed by those to whom the more pungent kinds are objectionable. When prepared in the same form, it makes a pickle equally as fine as the Large Bell. The Sweet Spanish Pepper succeeds well if sown in the open ground in May. Make the rows sixteen inches apart, and thin the plants to a foot apart in the rows. YELLOW SQUASH-PEPPER. _Vil._ Yellow Tomato-formed. Fruit similar in form to the Squash-pepper, but of smaller size, erect or pendulous; orange-yellow at maturity. The variety is later than the last named; much less productive; and, for pickling, is comparatively not worthy of cultivation. * * * * * RHUBARB. Pie-plant. Rheum sp. et var. This is a hardy, perennial plant, cultivated almost exclusively for its leaf-stalks. Its general character may be described as follows: Root-leaves large, round-heart-shaped, deep-green, and more or less prominently blistered; leaf-stems large, succulent, furrowed, pale-green, often stained or finely spotted with red, varying from two to three inches in diameter at the broadest part, and from a foot to three feet in length. The flower-stalk is put forth in June, and is from five to seven feet in height, according to the variety; the flowers are red or reddish-white, in erect, loose, terminal spikes; the seeds are brown, triangular, membranous at the corners, and retain their germinative properties three years. _Soil and Cultivation._--Rhubarb succeeds best in deep, somewhat retentive soil: the richer its condition, and the deeper it is stirred, the better; as it is scarcely possible to cultivate too deeply, or to manure too highly. It may be propagated by seeds, or by a division of the roots; the latter being the usual method. When grown from seeds, the plants not only differ greatly in size and quality, but are much longer in attaining a growth suitable for cutting. "Whether grown from seed, or increased by a division of the roots, a deep, rich soil, trenched to the depth of two or even three feet, is required to insure the full development of the leaf-stalks; for upon their size, rapidity of growth, and consequent tenderness of fibre, much of their merit depends. The seed should be sown in April, in drills a foot asunder; thinning the plants, when a few inches high, to nine inches apart. In the autumn or spring following, they will be fit for transplanting in rows three feet asunder, and the plants set three feet apart. If propagated by dividing the roots, it may be done either in autumn or spring; the same distance being given to the sets that is allowed for seedling plants. As, however, some of the varieties grow to a much larger size than others, a corresponding distance should be accorded them, extending to five feet between the rows, and three feet from plant to plant. "The plants should be set out singly, and not in threes, as is so often done. For the first year, the ground between the rows may be cropped with lettuce, turnips, beans, or similar low-growing crops; but, after the second year, the leaves will cover the whole space, and require it also for their full development."--_M'Int._ _After-Culture._--This consists in keeping the soil well enriched, open, and clear of weeds; and in breaking over the flower-stalks, that they may not weaken the roots, and consequently reduce the size and impair the quality of the leaf-stalks. _Gathering the Crop._--"This is usually done in spring; commencing as soon as the stalks have attained a serviceable size. No leaves, however, should be plucked the first year, and only a few of the largest and first formed during the second; and this plucking should not be made too early in the season, because, in that case, the plants would be weakened. From the third year, as long as the roots or plantations last, it may be gathered with freedom. A plantation in good soil, and not overmuch deprived of its foliage, will last from ten to fifteen years. "When the leaves are about half expanded, they may be plucked for use; but, when the largest returns are expected (as in the case of market-gardens), they should be allowed to attain their full size. In removing them, they should be pulled off close to the base, and not cut, to prevent an unnecessary escape of sap, which, in all succulent plants, flows more copiously from a clean cut than from one slightly lacerated or torn. The footstalks should then be separated from the leaves, and tied up in bundles of suitable size for market."--_M'Int._ Rhubarb is sometimes blanched. This may be effected without removing the plants, by means of sea-kale pots, or by empty casks open at the top, put over the crowns in March. It can, however, be more perfectly done by taking up the roots, and placing them in some dark place, with a temperature of 55° or 60°; where they should be slightly covered with soil to prevent them from drying. When so treated, they are much more tender, crisp, and delicate than when grown exposed to the sun and air: but the quality is greatly impaired; the pulp, though somewhat acid, being generally comparatively flavorless. _Use._--As before remarked, it is cultivated for its leaf-stalks; which are used early in the season, as a substitute for fruit, in pies, tarts, and similar culinary preparations. When fully grown, the expressed juice forms a tolerably palatable wine, though, with reference to health, of doubtful properties. "As an article of commercial importance in the vegetable markets, it is of very recent date. In 1810, Mr. Joseph Myatts, of Deptford, England, long known for his successful culture of this plant, sent his two sons to the borough-market with five bunches of Rhubarb-stalks, of which they could sell but three." It is now disposed of by the ton, and many acres in the vicinity of nearly all large towns and cities are devoted exclusively to its cultivation. _Varieties._--These are very numerous, as they are readily produced from the seed; but the number really deserving of cultivation is comparatively limited. Old kinds are constantly giving place to new, either on account of superior earliness, size, productiveness, or quality. The following are the prominent sorts cultivated:-- CAHOON. Leaves remarkably large, often broader than long, and more rounded than those of most varieties; stalk short and thick,--if well grown, measuring from twelve to sixteen inches in length, and three inches or more in diameter; skin thick, uniformly green. Its remarkable size is its principal recommendation. The texture is coarse, the flavor is harsh and strong, and it is rarely employed for culinary purposes. In some localities, it is cultivated to a limited extent for the manufacture of wine; the juice being expressed from the stalks, and sugar added in the ratio of three pounds and a half to a gallon. This wine, though quite palatable, has little of the fine aroma of that made from the grape; and, if not actually deleterious, is much less safe and healthful. Any of the other varieties may be used for the same purpose; the principal superiority of the Cahoon consisting in its larger stalks, and consequently its greater product of juice. DOWNING'S COLOSSAL. A large variety, nearly of the size of Myatt's Victoria. It is described as being less acid than the last named, and of a fine, rich, aromatic flavor. EARLY PRINCE IMPERIAL. Stalks of medium size; recommended by D. T. Curtis, Esq., Chairman of the Vegetable Committee of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, as in all respects the best flavored of any variety ever tested; and commended for general cultivation, as particularly adapted to the wants of the family, if not to the wishes of the gardener, to whom size and productiveness are more than flavor. It invariably turns red in cooking, which makes it preferable for the table as a sauce. When cooked, it is of the color of currant-jelly, and remarkably fine flavored. In 1862, it received the first prize of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, as the best for family use. ELFORD. _Thomp._ Buck's Rhubarb. An early sort, well adapted for forcing. The stalks are rather slender, covered with a thin skin of a bright-scarlet color; and their substance throughout is of a fine red, which they retain when cooked, if not peeled,--a process which, owing to the thinness of the skin, is not considered necessary. Even when grown in the dark, the stalks still preserve the crimson tinge. It was raised from the seed of _Rheum undulatum_. HAWKE'S CHAMPAGNE. A new variety, said to equal the Prince Albert in earliness, and also to be of a deeper and finer color, and much more productive. It forces remarkably well; is hardy in open culture; and commands the highest market prices, both from its great size, and fine, rich color. MITCHELL'S ROYAL ALBERT. _Thomp._ Stalks large, red, and of excellent flavor. Early and prolific. MYATT'S LINNÆUS. Linnæus. A medium-sized or comparatively small variety, recently introduced. "Besides being the earliest of all, and remarkably productive as well as high flavored, and possessing little acidity, it has a skin so thin, that removing it is hardly necessary; and its pulp, when stewed, has the uniform consistence of baked Rhode-Island Greenings; and it continues equally crisp and tender throughout the summer and early autumn." One of the best sorts for a small garden or for family use. MYATT'S VICTORIA. Victoria. Leaves large, broader than long, deep-green, blistered on the surface, and much waved or undulated on the borders. Leaf-stalks very large, varying from two inches and a half to three inches in their broadest diameter, and frequently measuring upwards of two feet and a half in length: the weight of a well-developed stalk, divested of the leaf, is about two pounds. They are stained with red at their base, and are often reddish, or finely spotted with red, to the nerves of the leaf. It has rather a thick skin, is more acid than many other varieties, and not particularly high flavored: but no kind is more productive; and this, in connection with its extraordinary size, makes it not only the most salable, but one of the most profitable, kinds for growing for the market. It requires a deep, highly-manured soil; and the roots should be divided and reset once in four or five years. It is about a fortnight later than the Linnæus. NEPAL. Rheum Australe. _Thomp._ Rheum Emodi. The leaf-stalks attain an immense size, but are unfit for use on account of their strongly purgative properties: but the leaves, which are frequently a yard in diameter, are useful in covering baskets containing vegetables or fruit; and for these the plant is sometimes cultivated. TOBOLSK RHUBARB. Early Red Tobolsk. Leaves comparatively small; leaf-stalks below medium size, stained with red at the base. It is perceptibly less acid than most varieties, and remarkable for fineness of texture and delicacy of flavor. * * * * * SUNFLOWER. Tall Sunflower. Annual Sunflower. Helianthus annuus. Stem from five to eight feet or more in height; leaves heart-shaped, rough, three-nerved; flowers very large, terminal, nodding; the seeds are large, ovoid, angular, or compressed, nearly black, sometimes striped with white, and retain their germinative properties five years. The plant is a native of South America. DWARF SUNFLOWER. _Law._ H. Indicus. This species, which was introduced from Egypt, differs from the last principally in its more dwarfish habit of growth, but also in being less branched. The flowers are much smaller, and generally of a lighter color. _Soil and Cultivation._--The Sunflower will thrive in almost any soil or situation, but succeeds best on land adapted to the growth of Indian Corn. It is always grown from seed, which should be sown in April, or the beginning of May, in drills three feet apart. When the plants are well up, they should be thinned to a foot asunder, and afterwards cultivated in the usual manner; stirring the ground occasionally, and keeping the plants free from weeds. The flowers appear in July, and the seeds ripen in August and September. The central flower is first developed; attains a larger size than any that succeed it; and ripens its seeds in advance of those on the side-branches. The heads of seeds should be cut as they successively mature, and spread in a dry, airy situation for three or four weeks; when the seeds will become dry and hard, and can be easily rubbed or threshed out. _Use._--"The seeds of both species yield an oil little inferior to that of the Olive for domestic purposes, and which is also well adapted for burning. In Portugal, the seeds are made into bread, and also into a kind of meal. They are also sometimes roasted, and used as a substitute for coffee; but the purpose for which they seem best adapted is the feeding of domestic fowls, pheasants and other game. The greatest objection to its culture is, that it is a most impoverishing crop, particularly the Large or Common Tall species."--_M'Int._ * * * * * TOBACCO. Nicotiana, sp. All the species and varieties of Tobacco in common cultivation are annuals; and most, if not all, are natives of this continent. "Like other annual plants, it may be grown in almost every country and climate, because every country has a summer; and that is the season of life for all annual plants. In hot, dry, and short summers, like the northern summers of Europe or America, Tobacco-plants will not attain a large size; but the Tobacco produced will be of delicate quality and good flavor. In long, moist, and not very warm summers, the plants will attain a large size,--perhaps as much so as in Virginia; but the Tobacco produced will not have that superior flavor, which can only be given by abundance of clear sunshine, and free, dry air. By a skilful manufacture, and probably by mixing the Tobacco of cold countries with that of hot countries, by using different species, and perhaps by selecting particular varieties of the different species, the defects in flavor arising from climate may, it is likely, be greatly remedied." The species and varieties are as follow:-- CONNECTICUT SEED-LEAF. Peach-leaf. Virginia Tobacco. Nicotiana tabacum. [Illustration: Connecticut Seed-leaf.] Leaves oblong, regularly tapering, stemless and clasping, eighteen inches to two feet long, and from nine to twelve inches in diameter. When fully developed, the stem of the plant is erect and strong, five feet high, and separates near the top into numerous, somewhat open, spreading branches; the flowers are large, tubular, rose-colored, and quite showy and ornamental; the capsules are ovoid, or somewhat conical, and, if well grown, nearly half an inch in their greatest diameter; the seeds, which are produced in great abundance, are quite small, of a brownish color, and retain their germinative properties four years. This species is extensively cultivated throughout the Middle and Southern States, and also in the milder portions of New England. In the State of Connecticut, and on the banks of the Connecticut River in Massachusetts, it is a staple product; and in some towns the value of the crop exceeds that of Indian Corn, and even that of all the cereals combined. GUATEMALA TOBACCO. A variety with white flowers. In other respects, similar to the foregoing. Numerous other sorts occur, many of which are local, and differ principally, if not solely, in the size or form of the leaves. One of the most prominent of these is the Broad-leaved, which is considered not only earlier and more productive, but the best for manufacturing. _Propagation._--It is propagated by seeds sown annually. Select a warm, rich locality in the garden; spade it thoroughly over; pulverize the surface well; and the last of April, or beginning of May, sow the seeds thinly, broadcast; cover with a little fresh mould, and press it well upon them either by the hoe or back of the spade. As they are exceedingly minute, much care is requisite in sowing, especially that they should not be too deeply covered. When the plants appear, keep them clear of weeds, and thin them out sufficiently to allow a free growth. A bed of seedlings nine or ten feet square will be sufficient for an acre of land. If preferred, the plants may be raised in drills eight inches apart, slightly covering the seeds, and pressing the earth firmly over them, as above directed. When the seedlings are four or five inches high, they are ready for transplanting. _Soil and Cultivation._--Tobacco requires a warm, rich soil, not too dry or wet; and, though it will succeed well on recently turned sward or clover-turf, it gives a greater yield on land that has been cultivated the year previous, as it is less liable to be infested by worms, which sometimes destroy the plants in the early stages of their growth. The land should be twice ploughed in the spring; first as soon as the frost will permit, and again just previous to setting. Pulverize the surface thoroughly by repeated harrowing and rolling, and it will be ready to receive the young plants. The time for transplanting is from the 1st to the 20th of June; taking advantage of a damp day, or setting them immediately after a rain. If the ground is not moist at the time of transplanting, it will be necessary to water the plants as they are set. "The ground should be marked in straight rows three feet apart, and slight hills made on these marks two feet and a half apart; then set the plants, taking care to press the earth firmly around the roots. As soon as they are well established, and have commenced growing, run a cultivator or horse-hoe between the rows, and follow with the hand-hoe; resetting where the plants are missing. The crop should be hoed at least three times, at proper intervals; taking care to stir the soil all over. "When the plants begin to flower, the flower-stem should be broken or cut off; removing also the suckers, if any appear; leaving from twelve to sixteen leaves to be matured." _Harvesting and Curing._--In ordinary seasons, the crop will be ready for harvesting about the beginning of September; and should all be secured by the 20th of the month, or before the occurrence of frost. The stalks must be cut at the surface of the ground, and exposed long enough to the sun to wilt them sufficiently to prevent breaking in handling. They should then be suspended in a dry, airy shed or building, on poles, in such a manner as to keep each plant entirely separate from the others, to prevent mouldiness, and to facilitate the drying by permitting a free circulation of the air. Thirty or forty plants may be allowed to each twelve feet of pole. The poles may be laid across the beams, about sixteen inches apart. "When erected for the purpose, the sheds are built of sufficient height to hang three or four tiers; the beams being about four feet apart, up and down. In this way, a building forty feet by twenty-two will cure an acre and a half of Tobacco. The drying-shed should be provided with several doors on either side, for the free admission of air." When the stalk is well dried (which is about the last of November or beginning of December), select a damp day, remove the plants from the poles, strip off the leaves from the stalk, and form them into small