The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-04-25
IarifuI tural .
From the PIow, Loom and Anvil.
Csra Plant..Okra COhce..GumbO SOup.


TULIP HUI, near Iowa Cry, Aug. 10, 1856.
NEssRs. EpIroRs In the last May num-
Der of your valuable Magazine, page COS, l
find an article extracted from the american
fgrIculturist, relative to the cultivation OF
the Gkra plant.
The correspondent observes that this plant
is not yet extensively cultivated at the Noi.h'
hut that it is deserving Of a high pop u,aii.
and that il is much cultivated IN inc
ern and Middle States, chie1fy as an a'oi-.o'i
TO soups. .,o+ tho
Il is true. rs stated by the writer, tiia' tfle
s,ree,, mods are used in the preparation Va
Inc Gnm Soup. bat they are not tne pr,ncI
nj f,grsdieuts of that famous Southern u'S"'
and n,ne-tenths of all the Okra raised IN the
southern and Middle States, are cooked, sea
soned and served for the table as We do As
paragus. o,. c-,.1,,,7s.
nIaot was introduced into North America,
am unable TO state from any books ID my
library. The EucyclopedIa Americana mas
no article upon il, although II mas oeeh
common garden vegetable il the Southern
and Middle States for more than fifty years
II was first used as a substitute for cchee,
,nd was called Okra Cg1ise. And, unques-
ionably. il Is the best substitute ever as
n the Prairie FdrH6r, pronounced 1t equal
a the finest Mocha; and | can add, that
-opsider myself good judge OF the genuine
rticIe and | have at least once, without de-
Getting it. drank the Okra, with the usual
usto In fact. as | can discover, the TASTE
md Odor of the two articles are identical
| should be pleased to see comparative
-heynical analysis OF the two berries, so DIS
.imilar in everything save in the taste and
,InelI.
The cultivation of the Okra is very sim
rIe. The seed should be drilled like garden
peas, in light soil, about the first OF May.
The plants to be thrifty, should ba at least
two feet apart When the pod is about bal!
grown, il is fit for use. is then as young
cucumber. and will not burst in the boiling.
Take dozen of these pods, which Is good
mess for a family, and boil them thirty
minutes in pure water, (using tin pan IN
stead of an iron yessel.) then lift them care
fully with spoon into deep dish, and I'M
mcdiate!y season with sweet butter, rather
copiousIy. Then salt, and pepper, If pre-
fired
To make Gumbo soup, cut two Or three
rods in thin slices, as you would cucumoerS,
Tor one gallon of any kind of soup. iona
toes, IN large quantities, and green corn, cut
from the cob, are the usual admlAtureN Of
Gumbo soup. Too much o.lra makes the
soup insipid. There should be just enough
TO give it a rich nucilaginous taste.
But the okra is principally valuable foI
boiling. To relish it, one must use it for a
season, and then it must be well cooked
Those who are accustomed to its daily use,
from July to October, would Tot exchange i;
for any vegetable product whatever.
| have cultivated it in Iowa for the last teT
years, and it tlourishes admirably. Ii shou'l
be in every garden, by the side Of the To
mato and the Egg Piant-three invaluable
and wholesome vegetables, introduced int
this country about the same time. Z. VI.
.OSra i the Spanish Of the plant, and GAta51r
tHe French. Webzier's Dis defines - GUNHO dish
food made OF young Capsules Of ocrr- viii salt and Pep
Per, steved and seasoned wiki butter