Evening star., 1902-01-18
PHILIPPINE TRUCK GARDENS
FACTs ABOUT VEGETABLES AND
THEIR CrLTIyA ALTON.
Iunuriance of Plant Life Takes n
Wide Range in Species and
Varieties.

From official material in the division OF
insular affairs of the War Department the
following information has been assembled
concerning vegetables and their cultiva-
tion in the Philippine Islands.
one of the most universal of the auxiliary
branches of agricultural industry Is the
kitchen garden, not only in the United
States. but in all civilized countries, and in
primitive or neglectful way, nature doing
most of the selection and labor among halt-
civilized. barbarous and savage races.
The Iuxuriance of plant life in the Philip
pines takes wide range in species and
varieties The soil, on account of the tropi-
cal climate. produces a rich variety of veg
etabl,< with little care on the part of
human labor Under the name OF N.Se-
tables are included the legumes, which
serve a> food, those of which the tubers
ar edible. those roots which are edible and
the garden plants
\ list of those most important Is gwen
in the following:
The watermelon so prominent in the
summer products of home and market gar
dens i'm the United States, is we'll repre-
scented in the islands. it being of AsiatH
origin and one of the most ancient growths
of Egypt India. China, Japan and Amer
lea and tropical and subtropical regions gen
orally.
The pea. the vegetable of the masses
tiou of the potato. is cultivated and grows
wild in certain localities
The bean family, which presents not less
than sixty species Is well represented
The yam. a most extensive and widely
distributed family. grows to great advan-
tage in all the islands
The pumpkin and squash, cucumber ana
musk melon are also common.
The vegetables and garden plants, under
their native names are the butingui, the
true kidney bean. which is found in con-
~, lrIa
Iesumes which are highly priced by the
natives are the zabache, the patani and
the frijoi, abundant in Abra province. The
calabaza a variety of squash which the
natives term calabasang bilog, of green
color. is used for stew.
The Sweet Potato.
The camote is the well-known sweet po-
tatu Its cultivation is greatly favored by
mountain races. The plant grows in five or
six months extending it's shoots in all di-
rectons. completely covering the ground
with its abundant leaves. which are like
wise edible. When the ground Is given
over to the exclusive cultivation of this
plant ii is allowed to take root in all
directions and as the roots extend and
grow. the tubers may be dug up for use
at any time of the year. When its culti-
walton alternates with that of rice or corn
il is necessary to plant anew each year.
the product usually being of greater value
than in the previous years. The skin and
the edible part take different cOlOrS-white,
yellow and violet. II is used as food. either
boiled or roasted and is also made into
preserves and sweet meats. The candol,
variety of squash, is oval In shape and
very suitable for making sweets The gabe,
introduced from Asia, is today extensively
cultivated in almost all the islands. espe-
ciaily in the mountain regions Its large
roots and young leaves make an excellent
food for the natives. The roots are also
suitable for sweets. 1t is the taro kalo
o: the Pacific Islands, yu-tao of China sa-
f1ITan n 11n9n Central
lea Among the Inhabitants of our Hawaii
All Islands the leaves are roasted and eaten
like the tubers.
Garden Plants.
Although the natives do not care much
for the cultivation of garden plants, gar
dens found near the large centers of
population. generally cultivated by Chinese,
the products being used by Europeans
Among those vegetables cultivated are
onions. garlic. asparagus, radisheS, cab
bage. artichokes. lettuce, endives, peppers,
tomatoes. carrots. celery, parsley and the
baras. a native plant, whose fruit contains
seeds having a sweet flavor similar to
anise. Milondaga, the word means a melon
o. the size of a mouse. is small in size and
with flavor similar to the cucumber
MonS0. ieguminous plant, is smaller than
the lentil. but of the same flavor. 1t is
cultivated on a large scale as it is the
principal food of many towns. Patola,
variety of cucumber, large and long in size
OF a sweetish flavor and agreeable odor, is
eaten green or boiled. The pepinO, a Gu
Cumber. is eaten boiled or pickled and also
served salad
The potato in the Philippines Is only cul-
uvated with success in certain elevated
localities such the mountains of Ben
guet. and even in this place the tubers pro-
duced are of small size. The sitao. legu-
minouS plant. produces vegetable about
a foot long.
TobacOg Is the true melon Although nos
seSSng a delightful aroma, 1t never
reaches the excellent favor of those of
Europe. Tabayag is a variety of SQUASH
the most of which is soft and smooth to the
touch. Ube. the rhizone of the latter, makes
healthy food Of sweet taste. 1t is some
what sour when raw, but is rendered sweet
and nutritious by boiling. Its cultivation Is
simple, somewhat similar to that of the
potato 1t Is necessary to carefully pre-
pare this tuber and its analogous varieties
Tor eating. When this is not done it is pol
sonous- The best kind Of ube Is called the
cebu ube, although in fact 1t comes from
Ihe Island OF Bohoi. 1t makes most de-
hclous Jelly, highly and universally priced
Center of Market Gardening.
The town of Santa Ana within the police
jurisdiction of Manila on the left bank of
the Pasig river. three miles distant with a
population of over 1000 Inhabitants Is the
center of vegetable gardening for the mar
kets of Manila.
Since the American possession of the ar
chipelago this branch of agriculture has
Received a great impetus In the vicinity of
all the larger cities like Manila UoiIo and
Zdlnhoanga, where there are American or
european residents. and particularly in the