The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
NEW PLANTS FROM ABROAD
SEVERAL DESIRABLE VEGETABLES
FOUND IN EUROPE

They Are Not Known Here and the Depart
ment of Agriculture Proposes to Intro
duce Them-Noveltles In Fruit suitable
for Cultivation Here Also Found.
WASHINGTON Sept 16-The officials OF tho
Department OF Agriculture arc highly pleased
with the results obtained by the special agents
who have been studying the seeds and plants OF
foreign countries with view Of introducing them
into the United States This study is being car
ried on with the $4,000 appropriated by Congre~-
to collect purchase test propagate and disIibuvs
rare and valuable Seeds bulbs trees shrubs. vines,
cuttings and pla.a rom foreign countries for ~
pertinent with reference to their introduction into
this country.
Walter c. Swingle, Of the Division OF Botany,
has returned from visit TO the Mediterranean
countries where he studied the agriculture oil
southern Europe and Of northern Afrioe'
and gained much valuable information sSs-
fore leaving for home he made arrange
ments with nursery men to send 70 tho
United States such seeds and plants as
might be called for While studying grape cul-
nlre fig caprification, date growing. &C. he came
across a number of new vegetables which IL u
hoped will prove acceptable TO American tastes
OF these he says
The crosne or stachys is Chinese and Japan
csc vegetable II has white tubers two TO four
inches long and the size of ones finger but look
ing like crowded string OF large beads. They
were imported into France where their value was
discovered by the late NJ. Paillieux, gentleman
Of leisure, who devoted his grounds at Crosne,
near Paris, to the culture Of strange and new
vegeta bles from all parts of the world. He so
pleased with this that he did everything pos
sble to bring IL into notice. After several years
he succeeded and the vegetable is now well-known
in Paris. II is called Crosne after the namo OF Nj.
Paillicux.s place. Boiled fried and served with
meat il is delicious. The plant is perfectly hardy
and grows in all soils yielding as much as i've
tons to the acre Two other tubers Of delicate favor
much esteemed in Paris, the tuberous- rooted
cbervillo and tuberous-rooted nasturtium uhe
mayna Of Chle).
IN the Mediterranean countries much use
is made of the vegetable marrow. of which many
species are known. II is sort Of summer
squash, and is eaten before fully ripe, when 10
much resembles large green cucumber Cooked
and served with meat II is excellent and no food
is considered more easily digested. Many va
! rieties are known in Italy, Greece, and Turkey,
as well as in Germany and England. Among
other vegetables of great merit might be mem
toned two species Of asparagus, new TO Amer
ica One of these came from Algeria, and the
other from Naples called asparagus kale, 10
said TO be the most delicious Of the cabbage fam
lily The cos lettuces of Italy and Turkey arc
exceptionally fine"
MI Swingle also brought specimens Of tho
pistachc nut, which he thinks likely will provo
| of great value to California and Arizona Largo
quantities Of these nuts are imported for use in
| favoring ice cream. &C. In the Mediterranean
/ regions they eaten like other nuts and CON-
sidere1 even finer than the splendid almonds
| and walnuts produced there. Mr.. Swingle thinks
there is a great future for this nut when II be-
! comes known to Americans. The choice va
/ rieties propagated by grating. and arrange
| ments have been made to secure quantity OF
| slips for use in this country next spring.
| Another novelty obtained by the department
| is large-fruited evcr-bearing strawberry. which
| has been brought out in France within recent
| years The ordinary varieties Of strawberries
yield only for a few weeks, while this one pro-
duces for months on the same stems, The two
best varieties Of the new plant are called the St
Joseph and the St Anthony, and were originated
not by professional growers, but by modest
country priest, the Abbe Thevoet, residing in
one Of the central districts Of France. Lovers
of canteiopes will be interested in the introduo-
ton of the kirk agache muskmelon, which has
| a great reputation for flavor and sweetness in
the country around Smyrna. An American
missionary who returned home on a visit year
or two ago informed Mr. Swingle that he had
been unable to eat the American cantelope on
account of its nferorty to the Turkish to which
ne nhu become ACCUSTOMED MI oWlnRle Vlsi-
! ted Smyrna and obtained some of the seed Of
the noted melon and 1t will be cultivated here.
Speaking Of the artichoke, Mr. Swingle says:
This vegetable is highly priced by rich and
poor alike in Europe and is cultivated extensively
in France and Italy. The plant is a perennial.
and the fine varieties are propagated by suckers
from the roots Of the old plant in the same man.
pineapples. In order to introduce the
culture of this much neglected vegetable We have
imported a quantity Of carefully potted suckers.
In spite OF all precautions many died. Enough
survived, however, to produce q stock which
soon be multiplied indefinitely. The New York
market is now supplied from France and Italy,
Naples being a heavy exporter. The absurdity
Of shipping delicate vegetable 5000 miles when
| il can be grown with perfect success at home is
evident Artichokes have long been grown ex-
tensively around New Orleans where there is q
good local market for them. but their use as
vegetable is practically unknown in the South
elsewhere The Department will endeavor to
! extend their cultivation in the Southern States,
and II is thought demand will arise as soon as
the qualities OF the tuber are known to the people
generally.