The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-05-02


Watercress, nasturtium officinale, e
we'll known for its sharp, pungent, but
agreeable favor, and for its uses as q
healthy vegetable for the early spring
and summer use. 1t contains. like most
of the other varieties of the cruciferse
family, as mustard. cabbage, &C., con-
siderable sulphur. and is therefore cool
ing and laxative in its effe upon the
system. Eaten in the form of sand
witch between thin slices of bread and
butter, it was one of the luxuries of nv
early life, and have always managed
to secure a liberal supply ever since,
and would not willingly he without it.
As a market crop it is one of the
most saleable and profitable-a four
quart basketful selling now in New
York for seventy-five cents at whole
sale. and retailing at fifty cents for a
quart. As it is a perennial crop, and
once planted will take care of itself or
years, and increase and spread very
rapidly, and as no insects or diseases
trouble it, its culture is easy and mex
pensive. 1t is an aquatic plant, but
grows only in clear. running water.
having sandy bottom. A springy
swamp with such a bottom makes an
excellent place for a pantstion. If the
swamp is surrounded with high ground,
from which springs break out at the
loot, it makes an exceedingly favorable
iocat on.
A description of a plantation made in
such piece of ground, will give very
fair idea of what is required for success
in this culture. The meadow is full OF
springs. The high ground at the edge
OF it slopes down 2 feet to the meadow.
At the fo9t of the slope is large spring
basin, II feet wide and "a feet long,
VIII ch supplies copious stream OF
water that never freezes. This stream
is carried in ditch, four feet wide, along
the bank for about 400 feet, and then
across the meadow for about l, 800 feet;
it is then turned at right angles, in the
same direction as the first one, and car
ried about ! 800 feet down to a s ream
which bounds the meadow. Tho fall is
about three feet in the whole distance
At the first. the basin only was planted.
bv dropping in few cuttings of the
stems of the plants. in balls of mud, t.
the bottom, where they quickly took
root and soon spread all over it The
plants seei in July and August. and as
the seed fioa down the stream. it is
soon sown through its whole length. as
is now the case with this plantation.
The bitches. however. should be made
six feet wide. If the water is sufficient
to keep in motion through them, or at
anv rate not less than four ct. At
the foot of the bitches there should he
a flood gate, to close the stream and
back up the. water in the winter in or
der TO cover the eress and keep it from
freezing at the over end of the bed.
At the head of it, it would be advisable
10 board up the sides of the ditct es.
making the space u feet. and covering
it W tn hot-bed sash in the cold wealth
e. thus forcing the growth when it is
naturally Stopped, and securing 3
bright, clear leaf, which would sell at
high prices at the holiday season.
TIE crop is gathered rs follows: A
plank is thrown across the bitches as
near the surface rs possible. For obvi-
Gus reasons it will not do to wade in the
bitches TO gather the crop. The leaves
are gathered in a bunch with the tin-
Q rs of the let hand, and the stems are
cut off with sharp kni e, three or four
inches below. The cut cress is placed
carefully in n basket on end until a
smooth, even layer is made at the bot
tom of it. The baskets are narrow and
deep conical ones, made o. splints,
about IL deep, and seven inches wide
at the top, or the baskets are placed in
crates for shipping. The cress quickly
throws out new branches and fresh
leaves, and may be cut two or three
times in the season, in time to permit
the seeding in July.
The protection of sash in the winter
will of course very much hasten the
growth. and will be equivalent 10 two
extra cuttings. Frost browns the leaves
and spoils the crop for sale. so that
when sash is not used flooding is very
desira lie. With some sash at the head,
say for POO or 800 feet. and the lower
part of the ditch flooded, he grower
cou'd have a constant SUI ply through
out the whole season. / have known
two :uare feet of surface to fill q
basket. when the cress had been kept
covered with water, and the water
lowered before cutting: and the baskets
sold for 30 cents each on the ground,
the purchaser cutting for himself.
The lowest price i have known has
been 20 Gems per basket. At this rate,
loo feet of bed. four feet wide, should
realize 800. and at the highest price
Sl,0OO for each cutting. As all sorts of
animals, from ducks to cows. are greed
lily fond of water cress, it will not do to
pasture a meadow, or permit geese or
ducks to treSpaSS upon It in the season.
A flock of ducks may he turned in with
ad antage after seeding, as they will
Gear out the snails and other animals
which will sometimes Sataer on the
plants. Trout may a'so be reared in
the bitches, with additional profit. The
small turtles found in bitches of this
kind devour tie snails and keep the
cress clesn. and are to be encouraged.
AS the beds are so easily made. and the
crop so easily grown and gathered, its
culture might be greatly increased. al
though the price might fall to 10 cents
basket, for at this figure there is no
other crop to be grown that will pay so
wei. The only requ sites are the
ground and s near market.-Cor. COun-
try Gentleman.