The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-03

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iningand Iffaaft66fF:ButIer did say,which N
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.rued to mean by those Wy 20 remark
osed to bi'->-,-l~ IN cooking It has flrst
). 70 be boiled, n order to destroy certain
acrid properties, after which it may be
fried, roasted, baked, or what not, ac-
cording to taste.
Farmers in Florida have begun to
raise these Gala roots for market. The
plants grow readily in swamps, and so
thickiy that the yield ola single flooded
acre is enormous They reproduce
themselves by the multiplication Of
their bulbs underground, so that the
grower has simply to dig up the Off
shoots and leave parents to propagate
anew. For centuries the Egyptians
have cultivated a similar crop during
tie seasons of the Niles overflow, and
at the present time Gala lily bulbs are
q common vegetable in japanese mar
kets. So prolific and palatable are
they that their propagation in many
parts OF the nited States, where con-
ditions are favorable may be looked for
ward to as an agricultural industry
Of the future.
The Department of Agriculture is
continually engaged in trying to dis
cover and encourage the cultivation OF
new AID desirable varieties Of fruits.
Lately it has come across sort ofgiabt
gooseberry that grows on trees, and
within the last few days long-sought
prize has been obtained from Benton
Harbor, Mich, in the shape OF a really
thornless blackberry. The picking OF
this delectable fruit has hitherto been
interfercG with to some extent by the
spikes with which nature protects the
branches, but in the future, it is hoped,
people will be able to go blackberrying
without danger Of pricking their
fingers.
Experiments are making for the first
time in the grating of pecan trees.
Accidental seedlings in Texas and New
Mexico have developed nuts of this
kind as far superior to the ordinary
ores as the shellbark is to the pignut.
Furthermore, it has been demonstrated
that these improved varieties can read
ily be perpetuated, and even bettered,
by grating. Only little cultivation
is necessary to produce pecans OF five
or six times the size of the usual specl-
mems and with shells so papery as to be
easily broken between the foreflnger
and thumb. The writer saw good
sized pasteboard full Of such samples
ip the office of the United States Po-
ulologist yesterday, and ate a few to
make sure Of their delicious quality.
The same process is possible with chest
nuts, which grow to the size Of
horscchestnut in some parts OF the
United States. They, too, are being
grated with view to securing the in
crease of their size and the improve
ment of their edible qualities. In a
certain Illinois valley hickory nuts
used to grow as wide as the palm of
ones hand, and efforts are being made
to obtain a surviving plant so as to
propagate from them.
The Department Of State has just
received FROM Consul Jones at Chin
klang. China, small bottle contain
ing some soecimens of the curious fun
gus that grows from a species OF cater
pillar literally transforming the ami
NAL into vegetable and causing the
unhappy insect to serve the purpose OF
@ root. 1t is the larva of q moth, and
when the cold of winter approaches it
makes its way down into the soil to
the depth Of three or four inches.
There it is attacked by remarkable
disease and sprouts, sending up long
shoot which appears and fructlties
above the ground like any mushroom.
The natives in Tbibct and in the
rrovince of Sze-khuan so about look
ing for this fungus near myrtle trees Of
certain scrt. They dig up such spec;-
mems as they discover and make them
into little bundles, tied with red thread.
In this shape they are sold as med
icine whic1 is esteemed. if possible,
more high y than the famous ginseng,
being considered a powerful curative
agent for diseases Of The throat and
lungs
This fungus has 10 other method of
growth than the one described. The
fructitying top that is above ground
scatters its spores around under the
scarlet-flowered myrtles Oh which the
caterpillars feed. When the latter
burrow into the soil 10 hibernate, they
are apt 10 stir up some Of the hostile
germs, whereupon they are at once
attacked and speedily transformed into
vegetable tissue. The substance Of
their flesh is metamorphosed into
stalks sprouting from their heads. Of
course. a sufficient number Of the
larv;e escape this fate to perpetuate the
species from year 10 year and to SIP
reproductive opportunities for the fun
gus. ...