The Washington times., 1905-06-19

Under cultivation, and it is for the
happy possessor of a bit of ground, no
matter how contracted in area, that
this article is written.
There is practical side to tie weed
1t is one of natures gifts which we are
slow to appreciate, for 1t seeks alike
the company Of plebeian vegetable and
patrician bloom. Those who live b. the
midst of greenness seldom profit most
from what they disdainfuIly allude to
as weeds" Older nations than ours
realize the value Of knowledge in this
direction. In several countries the gov
eminent furnishes for gratuitous dis
tr1bution descriptions of such weeds and
Wild plants are fit to be eaten, with
simple directions for their preparation.
A notable instance Is found in China,
where the most learned botanists have
prepared a book containing descriptions
OF over 5000 edible plants. We are glad
10 record that our own Department OF
Agriculture has at last taken cognizance
OF the subject, and that a pamphlet on
this subject is now in preparation The
Indian In his native haunts can sus-
tain life for weeks on roots and green's;
a white. man lost in the same area
would die OF starvation, though within
arms length OF nutritious green's and
fungi. Many Of these wild growths.
sprouts, leaflets, buds, and shoots are
cultivated plants. They are met with
waste land, garden, and fallow field. by
or In salt and fresh water.
A Good Salad.
Not long ago I sat in the rear room
OF a city house which overlooked the
little patch of ground dubbed by cour-
tesy the garden. Husband and wife
were both fond of flowers, and the lit
tie plot was gay with color. A week IS
absence and a succession Of showers
had given the weeds a start. and my
friends were preparing to uproot them,
when / begged for IL first chance. l
found there dandelions, chickweed.
plantain, purslane, oxalis. and one tiny
specimen of .@--,-'- e-,..riers: the result
was a salad which was eaten with much
relish.
The common dandelion IS well known
as substitute for spinach and when
young an hours bath in cold water
freshens 1t and extracts some OF the
bitter taste to which many object. So
treated and with the addition of a little
finely chopped chives or wild garlic and
a dressing of oil or tried out salt pork
or bacon fat 1t makes an appetizing
salad Chickweed needs to be mixed
with some weed of a more pronounced
flavor and for salad all greens must be
young and tender: when old 1t Is best
spinach--wasked, boiled drained. chop
ped and seasoned. Those containing an
undue amount of bitterness-as the dan
nature-as the purslane-are improved
by parboiling in water containing lit
tie baking soda
The Plantain.
The plantain (plantago coronopus) or
Star Of the Earth, was at one time
cultivated as a salad plant. but Is now
= to my nm
pastures and grass land. 1t is only fit
for use when young and may be bleach
board, fiat stone or a little earth Purs-
lane or .-pussley'' is closely related to
the por.ulacea- 1t grows rapidly and
the farmer considers 1t pest The thick
leaves can be used and cooked as
greens. the stalks. tied in bundles. may
be treated in all respects like asparagus
Pigweed and Goosefoot.
Lambs quarters (Chenopodium album
also known as pigweed and goosefoot, is
a weed found in gardens and cultivated
fields ell over the country. 1t has
triangular leaf with a powdery coat Civ
ing it pale bluish-green color. Until
about eight inches high it is very juicy
and tender and Is generally used as
pot green, only the young sprouts De-
ing added to salad The broad-leaVed
and the curly dock are common weeds
rhe small three-leaved oxalis or sour |
grass Is {. member of the same family
all containing an acid principle similar |
TO that found in the cultivated rhubarb |
These are used salads, when young |
or as green's
Are Good Greens.
In the fields or along the roadside may !
be found the tall stalk Of the milkweed |
The young shoots are tied IN bundles |
nrYI
with a French dressing. A favorite way |
lion. dock and horseradish. is. after
TO boil with piece of fat |
pork and number of potatoes, serving |
all In the same dish. The petite and |
burdock are too well known to need an |
extended description: With both the
sand or earth until bleached; after |
gathering they are boiled and served |
as spinach. Other roadside wayfarers |
are the bindweed, shepherds purse, ram
cooked as green's. In low lying spots |
well shaded by trees may be found the |
tiny Star Of Bethlehem-the shoots when |
may s those Of the herr of St. Martin a
In these same moist localities calamus
or sweet flag is usually found. This is q
favorite with the country boy, who In
the spring searches eagerly for the un-
expanded flower. which he calls gin
ger or "calamuS acorn" 1t has q |
warm, sweetish taste. and can be used
In sandwiches at a picnic lunch. The
leaves of the maple. sweet birch. and
beech may be used in the same way, |
With the fist warm days the red shoots
Of the poke can be found. They should
be cut when four or five inches high. |
tied In bundles and treated In the same
way as asparagus.
With maturity poisonous properties
appear in both root and plant so that
neither Leaf nor berry should be eaten. /
The bursting buds Of the sassafras are
surrounded by whorl of pale. greentsh
flowers. Few know that these, dried
and powdered. form the "gomboGle" of |
the Creole. 1t is best prepared by the !
Choctaw Indians who sell 1t In the i
French market In New Orleans. In
marshy spots near running brooks can
be found quantities Of cowslips or marsh |
marigolds. The young leaves of this
plant make an excellent salad and the |
entire plant. flowers included, can he !
used us a vegetable. In running brooks |
are found nuhntities of water-cress Al |
either side where the current is less
strong floats the water crowfoot (Ran-
unculus aquatilis), which can be served |
as Il salad OF a vegetable, according TO |
It's age. In comparing country and sea-
shore the latter has but poor showing.
at least In this country. Edible sea
weeds are rather scarce along our coast
found In abundance in other
lands The butchers broom fRusc,s