"The forms of the bulbs, however, remained permanently different from all I had ever seen of the same species, being much more broad, and less long; and the crop was so much better in quality, as well as much more abundant, that I can confidently recommend the mode of culture adopted to every gardener." Hort. Trans. Vol. ii. p. 98. 67. SKIRRET. Sium Sisarum, or Garden Skirret, is a perennial plant, a native of China, cultivated here in 1548. Its roots or tubers, when boiled and eaten with butter, are sweet and agreeable. A crop may be raised either from seeds or offsets; but the latter method is seldom practised. It is usually raised by sowing the seed in March or April, on a bed of rich light earth; when the plants are two or three inches high, they must be thinned out, in the manner directed for Salsafy and Scorzonera, along with which it is generally cultivated as an esculent root. With the usual summer culture, the roots will have attained their full size in October, when they may be taken up, and laid in sand till they are wanted for use. 68. SORREL. Formerly there was only one species of Sorrel cultivated in our gardens, Rumex Acetosa, a perennial plant, a native of Britain. In 1596, another species, the French Sorrel, succeeded, and was considered as a valuable addition to our stock. Lately, three other sorts have been obtained from France, and they merit the gardener's attention. These may be arranged as below: 1. Common Sorrel. 4. Mountain Sorrel. 5. Green Mountain Sorrel. Rumex Acetosa. B bullatus. scutatus. montanus. B lucidus. The first and third sorts are too well known to require further notice. No. 2. is of French origin. It was sent to the Horticultural Society of London, by M. Vilmorin, of Paris, under the name of Oseille à feuilles cloquées. Its difference from the Broad-leaved or Common Garden Sorrel, consists in the surface of the leaves being blistered. The root leaves are about nine inches long, and four inches broad, ovate, hastate, growing on longish footstalks; the stem leaves are more blistered than the root leaves. Its principal merit is, that it is slow in running to seed. No. 4. is another useful Sorrel, which has been sent from France, under the name of Oseille vierge. It has formerly been considered as a variety of Rumex Acetosa. Its foliage possesses much acidity. The leaves are large, oblong, of thin texture, and a pale green colour; the root leaves are very numerous, about nine inches long, and four inches wide, being very slightly blistered. It is rather later than the Common Sorrel in coming to flower. No. 5. is an improved variety of the preceding, and preferable to any of the other Sorrels, from the greater size and abundance of its leaves, which possess much acidity. It is also the latest in running into flower. It was sent from France, under the name of Oseille vierge verte lisse. The leaves are large, ovate, sagittate, from ten to eleven inches long, and nearly five inches wide, very numerous; the root leaves are slightly blistered, have long footstalks, and are of a dark shining green colour. All the sorts are best propagated by dividing the roots in March or April, and planting them out thinly on cool moist soil. They all readily produce seeds; but those sorts which are not established species, if propagated by them, are liable to degenerate to those species from which they originated. 69. SPINACH. Spinacia oleracea, or Garden Spinach, is an annual plant, and appears to have been cultivated with us ever since 1568; of its native country nothing certain is known. The varieties at present cultivated are, 1. Prickly-seeded. Bordeaux. 2. Round-seeded. 3. Flanders Spinach. Epinard de Flandres à The first sort is that which is sown in autumn for winter and spring use, and is often termed Winter Spinach. The second sort is that which is sown in spring and summer, but which will not survive our severe winters. The third sort is a winter Spinach, the seed of which was sent from M. Vilmorin, of Paris, to the Horticultural Society of London, and is far superior to the Prickly or Common Winter Spinach, which is in general cultivation during the winter season in our gardens. It is equally hardy, perhaps hardier. The leaves are doubly hastate, and somewhat rugose; the lower ones measure from twelve to fourteen inches in length, and from six to eight in breadth; they are not only larger, but thicker, and more succulent than those of the first sort. The whole plant grows more bushy, and produces a greater number of leaves from each root, and it is somewhat later in running to seed. The seeds are like those of the Round or Summer Spinach, but larger: they are destitute of the prickles which distinguish the seeds of the Prickly Spinach. The seeds of this, like those of the first sort, should be sown in August; and when the plants have acquired three or four leaves, they should be thinned out to five or six inches apart; or they may at first be thinned out to three inches, cutting out every alternate plant when the first crop is gathered. 70. TANSY. Tanacetum vulgare, or common Tansy, is a perennial plant, a native of Britain. The young leaves are shredded down, or reduced to a pulp, and employed to give colour and flavour to puddings, omelets, and cakes. It is propagated by dividing the roots, and planting them out in any common soil in the open part of the garden. 71. TARRAGON. Artemisia Dracunculus, or Tarragon, is a perennial plant, a native of the south of Europe. The leaves and tops of the young shoots are used as an ingredient in pickles; and a simple infusion of those in vinegar makes a pleasant fish sauce: it is eaten along with beef-steaks, as horse-radish is with roast beef; and is employed, both in Europe and Persia, to correct the coldness of salad herbs, and season soups and other compositions. The plant is easily propagated by dividing its roots in March or April, and planting them upon a warm dry soil, covering them not more than two or three inches deep. It may be propagated also very readily by cuttings of the shoots, planted under a hand-glass in the month of August. A small plantation of Tarragon should be made every spring, as it seldom stands more than two or three years, and the latter part of the time the plants are not productive. 72. TETRAGONIA. Tetragonia expansa, or New Zealand Spinach, is a tender annual, a native of New Zealand, and was introduced into this country in 1772. This very useful substitute for Spinach, since it was first brought into notice by Mr. Anderson, in a communication to the Horticultural Society, Vol. iv. p. 488. of its Transactions, has been very generally cultivated in gardens. The great advantage it possesses is that of supplying fresh leaves, fit for use, through the whole summer, even in the driest weather, when the crops of summer Spinach are useless. It has been found to be both hardier and easier to manage in the open border of the garden than was at first supposed; and it is also sufficiently productive of seeds. It must be raised from seeds in a hot-bed in March, and kept in small pots till the plants can be turned out into the common ground, in the end of May or beginning of June. One of these plants will spread three feet, and if the soil be rich, four feet or more; so that care must be taken to give it plenty of room. It is best to be turned out upon a somewhat elevated bed or ridge, and to have a southern aspect, in order to secure the ripening of its seeds. On poor soil it seeds freely; and plenty may be obtained by picking up the capsules from underneath the branches as they drop off in the autumn; and also by hanging up the branches, as we would those of the Ice plant. 73. THYME. The common Thyme has the aromatic qualities peculiar to Lavender, Sage, Rosemary, and other Labiatæ. It yields a species of camphor in distillation with water. In Spain they infuse it in the pickle with which they preserve their olives. There are two sorts cultivated in our gardens: 1. Common Thyme. 2. Lemon Thyme. Thymus Vulgaris. |