Spinacea oleracea.

"The Spinage or Spinach has been long cultivated, and is supposed to have come originally from Western Asia. Its use is well known.

"The principal varieties are the round seeded Savoy-leaved and Prickly-seeded. The former is best for spring and summer use, the latter is preferred for autumn sowing, being considered hardier.

"It may be sown broad cast or in drills. When drilled, it is easier kept clean, and more readily gathered for use. The drills should be twelve inches apart, the plants four inches apart in the rows. If sown thicker, thin out when young, as wanted; leaving plants at proper distances. For spring and early summer use, sow early in spring, and occasionally afterward; for the early autumn supply, sow at close of summer, and for the main winter crops about middle of autumn. Before very cold weather give a light covering of straw, cedar brush, or anything that will lay lightly, and partially protect it; otherwise the finest and most succulent leaves become discoloured by the frost." - Rural Reg.

To Obtain Seed

A sowing of each variety may be made in February or March, according to the openness of the season, or of the round-leaved variety some plants of a regular crop may be allowed to run up in April or May; and of the triangular-leaved, some plants of the winter standing crops may be suffered to remain. Keep them clear of weeds. Spinach is dioecious, and many ignorant persons, perceiving some of the plants to have no appearance of bearing seed, advise these to be pulled up, but these are the male-bearing plants, without which the others would be unfruitful. If, however, they are very numerous, some of them may be removed with benefit to those that remain, care being taken that some are left in every part of the bed. When the seed is set the male plants may be entirely removed, which allows more room for the fruitful. When the seed is ripe, which is known by its beginning to shed, in July or August, the plants ought to be pulled up and laid to dry thoroughly on a cloth, previously to its being beaten out and stored.