Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-01-08
NEW FOREIGN PLANTS.
EUROPEAN VEGETABLES THAT ARE
DESIRABLE FOR OUR GARDENS.

Introduce Them - Novelties in Fruit
Suitable for Cultivation Here Also Found
The officials of the department of
agriculture, Washington, are highly
pleased with the results obtained by
the special agents who have been
studying the seeds and plants of for
eign countries with a view of intro
ducing them into the United States.
This study is being carried on with
the $40, 600 appropriated by Congress
to collect, purchase, test, propagate
and distribute rare and valua ole seeds,
bulbs, trees, shrubs, vines, cuttings
and plants from foreign countries for
experiment with reference to their in
PRODUCTION into this country.
Walter G. Swingle of the division
of botany has returned from visit to
the Mediterranean countries, where he
studied the agriculture of southern
Europe and northern Africa, and
gained much valuable information,
Before leaving for home he made ar
rargements with nurserymen to send
to the United States such seeds and
plants as might be called for. While
studying grape culture, fig capritica-
ton, date growing, etc. he came across
number of new vegetables which it
is hoped will prove acceptable to Amer
lean tastes. OF these he says:
"The crosne or stachys is a Chinese
and Japanese vegetable. 1t has white
tubers two to four inches long and the
size of ones finger, but looking like
crowded string of large beads. They
were imported into France, where
their value was discovered by NJ.
Pailleux, q gentleman of leisure, who
devoted his grounds at Crosne, near
Paris, to the culture of strange and
new vegetables from all parts of the
world. He was SO pleased with this
one that he did everything possible to
bring it into notice. After several
years he succeeded and the vegetable
is now well known in Paris. 1t is
called after the name of M. Pailleux's
place. Boiled or fried and served with
meat it is delicious. The plant is per-
fectly hardy and grows in all soils
yielding as much as five tons to the
acre. Two other tubers of delicate
flavor, much esteemed in Paris, are
the tuberous-rooted cherville and tu-
berous-rooted nasturtium (the mayna
of Chile).
'In the Mediterranean countries
much use is made of the vegetable
marrow, of which many species are
known. 1t is sort of summer
squash, and is eaten before fully ripe,
when it much resembles large green
cucumber. Cooked and served with
meat it is excellent, and no food is
considered more easily digested. Many
varieties are known in Italy, Greece
and Turkey, as we'll as in Germany
and England Among other vegeta-
bles of great merit might be men,
toned two species of asparagus, new
to America. One of these came from
Algeria, and the other from Naples,
the most delicious of the cabbage fam
lily. The cos lettuces of Italy and
Turkey are exceptionally fine.
Mr.. Swingle also brought specimens
of the pistache nut, which he thinks
likely will prove of great value to
California and Arizona. Large guam
titles of these nuts are imported for
use in havoring ice cream, etc. In
the Mediterranean regions they are
eaten like nuts and considered even
finer than the splendid almonds aud
walnuts produced there. Nh. Swingle
thinks there is great future for this
nut when it becomes known to Ameri-
cans. The choice varieties are propa-
gated by grating, and arrangements
have been made to secure quantity
OF slips for use in this country next
spring.
+ Another novelty obtained by the de-
partment is large-fruited over bear
ing 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 produces 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 origi-
mated not by professional growers, but
by modest country priest, the Able
Thevolet, residing in one Of the cen
trail districts of France. Lovers of
cantalopes will be interested in the
introduction of the kirk agache musk
melon, which has great reputation
for fiaror and sweetness in the country
around Smyrna. An American mis-
sionary who returned home on visit
year or two ago informed Mr.. Swingle
that he had been unable to eat the
American cantelope on account of its
inferiority to the Turkish, to which
he had become accustomed. Mr..
Swingle visited Smyrna and obtained
some of the seed of the noted melon,
and it 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 propogated by
suckers from the roots of the old
plant in the same manner as pineap-
Piles. In order to introduce the cul-
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