Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-29
Nutritious, Medicinal and Orna-
mental Plants.

| Nutritious, Medicinal and Orna-
mental Plants.
At the last meeting Of the d, c. Horticultural
| Society, "wednesday evening,) Col ID. s. Curtis
| delivered an interesting essay upon nutritious,
| medicinal and ornamental plants, of which the
| following is an abstract:
| CELERY is one of the most valuable vegetables
| that can be raised 1t maintains good mer-
| charitable value in the markets, always selling
| at paying prices; 1t Is healthful, pleasant ap-
petizer, as well as being quite nutritious; it is
| anti-fever or preventive Of fever and inflamma-
| ton in the system; it has, when eaten freely,
| a pleasant effect upon the stomach, and gives a
sweet, agreeable breath; and is really deserving
Of much more attention than many farmers and
gardeners give it; and Is as easily raised as
! cabbage or kale.
TOMATOES are also healthful as well as nutr-
tOuS; their free use Is preventive OF disease and
| pills or tinctures made of them, like similar
| preparations made of celery, have much the
| effects OF mercurial medicines without any of
their evil effects, and are frequently used as a
substitute for some injurious mineral medi-
| c1neS; and they are not as largely eaten as they
ought to be; the form Of catsups is not the best
| form In which they can be eaten; preserved pure
| in glass vessels is the best mode
HORSE RADIsH is another vegetable which Is
not as highly appreciated or as generally eaten
| as 1t should be; although it Is a lively and
favortte relish, producing healthful effects upon
| the digestive organs it also contains considera-
BILE nutrftive qualities, posse ssing, as it does,
considerable nitrous and phosphate properties.
Sour cucumber pickles are far less valuable;
| and often hurtful, from the poisonous articles
| US ed to color and sour them.
CAULIFLowERs are most excellent plant to
| ase; they are both nutritious, and can be
| raised as readily as cabbages, though they need
considerably more watering. do not see them
as plentiful in this market as their value should
demand. They are good for cooking, for slaw
| and for pfcllleing, and always command fair
| price. They require rich soil and good hoeing,
| and do best on the north side of the house or
RI 10
PoTAToEs are not only food, but they afford
| the best OF starch, and starch tends to cleanl-
ness, and that promotes health. Experiments
| In this country and Europe prove that large and
healthy tuberS used as seed produce better pota-
| toes, more large and less small ones than small
ones used for seed; even the eyes or sets cut out
| Of the large potatoes and planted give better
| returns than small Ones and the remainder Of
! the large ones can be eaten after the eyes are
| cut out Like produces like A writer in the
ploWed and planted one acre OF land with pota-
| toes, useng the eyes Of good large potatoes. He
man9red M taehH with compost OF barrels
hen droppings, barrels of asnes, and composted
| with three times that much earth; he got 296
bushels OF good potatoes, sold for so cents
bushel Entire cost OF raising and marketing
| was $3.50, sold 2S4 bushels at 80 cents, giving
| $142. Net profit $3.50 for the acre.
Another nutritious as well as medicinal vege-
table is the ONION. The free use Of onions has
tendency to prevent as well as cure dyspepsia;
and eaten freely in the spring aids to keep Off
| malarial diseases and summer complaints A
| mother in an English paper writes: ''Twice
| week inyariably-and it was generally when we
had cold meat mnced-I gave the children a
dinner which was hailed with delight and looked
forward to; this was dish OF boiled onions
The little things know not that they were taking
the best Of medicine for expelling what most
children suffer from-,rOrnLs. Mine were kept
free with this remedy alone. 1t was medical
specific for cold in the chest. He did not know
at the time, until ! told him, that they were
good for anything else. A case is now under
our own observation in which a rheumatic pa
tient, an extreme sufferer, finds great relief
from eating onions freely, either cooked or raw.
He insists that it is by no means fancy, and he
baths, galvinism, and nearly all the potions and
plasters that are advertised certain aleviateS
or cureST' And the little Inconvenience arising
from disagreeable breath Is far more than COM
penSated by the great advantage derived, but all
may eat them.
ORNAMENTAL PLANTS AND FLOWERS.
From lengthy article in the New York Wit
ness, take some useful items. Sew people
know how easy it is to raise fine flowers from
seeds. Having imported the best varieties of
row, where they grew several years, and some
new and beautiful seedlings grew up near them;
one was the finest dark purple had ever seen;
the petals were refiexed and the spike long. like
an ostrich feather, and l named it Prince of
w ales,' as 1t resembled his crest. Thousands of
beautiful seedlings grew from the seed of this
one"
'.In Seeding roses my success has been good,
especially with moss roses, one a brilliant vel
vety, dark scarlet, very double and growing
tall. Finally, all that is needed for wonderful
success with flowers is to secure seeds from the
best varieties, plant them near together, with
no inferior ones near by to mix with them; plant
seed again from these, and fine flowers will be
From the Michigan Farmer I take the follow
ing remarks on Hyacinths: ''That season of
the year Is come when the lover of the Hyacinth
RI tnltr 1rrnf
their blooms may enliven the dark season OF
the winter. Amongst the first preparation for
blooming is the selection OF bulbs. Large bulbs
are not SO important as strong bulbs; that is to
say bulbs, which are solid, weighty and plump.
Good, fine bulbs are generally of medium size
but are firm to the touch, and will weigh fully
These bulbs can be placed in the water by No
vember. AS for Hyacinth glasses they are nov
manufactured at so many prices, and of such
different designs that there is very little trouble
| in getting those which are ornamental These
| glasses when procured should be filled with
clear, fresh rain-water, and few pieces of char
coal added before the bulb IS placed In position.
keeping the water pure and sweet while it is
| not without manur1al properties. The base of
the bulbs should just touch the water. The
glasses are then to be placed In dark closet or
cellar some weeks, in order that the roots may
grow first. The flower starts from the heart OF
| the bulb as soon as it can escape from the
| leaves which surround it, when 1t requires and
| must have nourishment. 1t is Of the utmost
| importance that the roots be numerous, strong,
| and quickly produced, going to the bottom OF
| the vessel In which the bulb is growing. II 1t
has but few and short roots, the flower will be
| imperfect and disappointing. When the roots
| are OF inches In length, the glasses can be
brought to the light IN the cool part of living
room or greenhouse, in order to keep the plants
| from becoming weakly and drawn, but the ex-
| posure to air and light must be gradual"
THE BRRBERRY FOR HEDGE.
In the report of the proceedings of the Canada
| Horticultural Society find these items: sol
| the berberry there are four kinds-common red,
large red, purple and white; the stoneless va
| riety is prOpogated by layers; the others by
| seeds or offsets; the latter mode is adopted in
| making hedges and screens. The berberry is
| very ornamental plant, both in flower and
fruit: it is hardy, quick grower, is long-lived
easily tranSplanted, and stands cutting very
| Well-makeS handsome hedge and garden en-
closure"
PEACH FELLOWS.
| writer In Peach culture useful magazine
| thinks that the yello,1s in peach trees may be
| called drbOr consumption, arising from def
cheney of tree nourishment in the soil, in either
quantity or quality, as well as by exhaustion in
0verbear1ng; and that, probably, supplying the
| deficient and needed alkalieS and phosphates to
| the soil, after thoroughly digging about the
roots and nursing these fertilizers In the earth
| around them, would restore health and fruit
n trpa Golf