The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-06-18
How to Utilize Some Weeds
CoRNELIA c. BEDFORD.

4 FTER an unusually severe winter
n followed by a tsrdy spring, many
forms Of vegetation appear, 10 be
of slow growth; the weeds. on the con-
trary, come faster than we want thsm-
especially on land under cultivation
and it is for the happy possessor of a
bit Of ground, no matter how contract
ed in area. that this article is written
There is d practical side to the we5d-
It is one of natures gifts which we are
slow 10 appreciate. for it seeks alike
the company of plebeian veg table and
patrician bloom. Those who liye IN
the midst of greenness seldom profit
most from what they disdainfully al
lude 10 as weeds" Older nations than
ours realize tha value of knowledge in
this direction In several countries The
government furnishes for gTatuitous
distribution descriptions of such weeds
and wild plants as are fl to be eaten,
with simple dir ctious for their prepar-
alton. A notable instance is found in
China, where the most learned botan-
lists have prepared a book containing
descriptions of over 5000 edible plants
We are glad 10 record that our own
d =partment 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 ma
tive haunts can sustain life for weeks
on roots and green's; a white man lost
I'm the same area would de of staTva-
ton. though within arms length of nu-
tritiouS green's and fungi Many of
these wild growths. sprouts letfiets.
buds and shoots are more beneficial to
man than our own cultivated plants.
They are met with alike on mountain.
plain. roadside. waste land. garden and
faHow field, BY or in salt and fresh
water
Not long ago I sat in the rear room
Of a city house which overlooked the
little patch of ground dubbed by cour-
tesy tha garden. Husband and wife
were both fond of flowers, and the little
plot was gay with color. A weeks alb
sence and d succession of showers had
given the weeds a start. and my friends
were preparing to uprOot them. when
I begged for first chance. I found
there dandelions. chickweed. plantain
purslane. Oxalis and one tiny specimen
Of lambs quarters, the result was a
salad which was eaten with much rel
ISL.
The common dandelion is well known
a. substitute for spinach, and, when
young. an hours bath in cold water
freshenS il and extracts some of the
bitter taste 10 which many obpect- So
treated and with the addition Of a
little finely chopped chives or wild gar
lie and a dressing of oil or tried out
salt pork or bacon fat. it makes an
appetizing salad. Chickweed needs to
be mixed with some we'd of a more
pronounced flavor. and for a salad all
greens must be young and tender, when
old it is best to prepare them in the
same way as spinaCh-washed, boiled.
drained. chopped and seasoned. Those
containing an undue amount Of bitter
neSS-as the daudeliOn-and those of
much mucilaginous uatuTe-aS the
pursIane-are improved by parbOiling
in water containing a little baking
soda
The PIantain PIantago coronopus),
or Star of the Earth. was at one time
cultivated as n salad plant. but is now
considered a weed. il Is common to
pastures and grass land. It is only fit
for use when young and may be
bleaCh-bOaTd. fat stone or a little
earth. Purslanc. or ''pussIey," is close
y related TO the pOrtulacOa. It grows
rapidly and the farmer considers it a
pest The Thick leaves can be used and
bundles. may be treated in all respects
like aSpara gus
Lambs quarters CChenopodium al
bum). also known as pigweed and
goosefoot. is a weed found in gard
and cultivated fields all over the cOUn-
try. 1t has a triangular leaf with a
pOwdeTy coat, giving il a pale blush
green color Until about eight inches
high it is very juicy and tender and
Is generally used as d pot green. only
the young sprouts being added to