From The Book
Of The Garden
by Charles M'Intosh
Indian cress
Tropæolum
majus
Cucurbitaceae
Indian cress, or Narsturtium, abbreviated to
Sturtion by many (Tropæolum
majus
L.), belongs to the natural order Tropseoleæ, and to the class
Octandria and order Monogynia in the Linnsean arrangement. This genus
forms the whole of this order, which is remarkable as being the only
natural order in which the peculiar acrid flavour of the Cruciferae is
found to exist. The generic name is derived from Tropæum, a trophy.
The leaf resembles a buckler, and the flower an empty helmet, of which
trophies were formed. It is a native of Peru, and was introduced to
England in 1686; but the minor variety was first brought to Europe by
the Spaniards in 1580. In the first edition of Gerard's " Herbal " we
find it described by him as growing in his garden, where Holborn now
stands. Both T. majus
and T. minus
are cultivated in our gardens— the former most generally. The French
style the flower La grande Capuchin.
Both
varieties are much cultivated as ornamental climbers; and the fruit, if
gathered before it ripens, makes an agreeable pickle without the aid of
spice, and is an excellent substitute for capers, which it much
resembles. It is accounted a good antiscorbutic. The flowers as well as
the young leaves are used in salads. The flowers are also used to
garnish dishes, particularly by artificial light, and were in our early
days much more employed for this purpose than at present. The seeds are
pickled in salt and vinegar, when made into imitation capers.
Although
both varieties are perennial in their native country, the coldness of
Britain prevents their continuance through the winter; they are
therefore treated as annuals, and sown every March or April. They are
usually sown in single rows, one row of a few yards in length being
sufficient for the culinary purposes of a private family. The seed,
which is large, is deposited in drills 24 inches deep. When grown for
ornament, they are sown two or three seeds in a patch at the foot of a
trellis or pyramidal support, and, if intermixed with sweat pease, have
a very good effect. When grown by market- gardeners, or upon a large
scale for their seed, they are sown in drills 3 feet apart, topped when
about 2 feet iu height, and treated the same as scarlet runners (which see).
They transplant freely, and to have them early in flower, particularly
in Scotland, they are sown in March in pots or boxes placed in a mild
frame or pit; when 3 or 4 inches in height, they are set in a shaded
sheltered place for a few days to harden off, and are then transplanted
to where they are finally to grow. This is the best way to manage them,
as the seed, if too early sown in cold soil, is apt to rot ; and if
planted out too soon, is as apt to be killed by the frost, more than 1°
of which it will not stand.
Soil.—This should not be too rich,
else a gross disposition is induced, rendering them rambling in growth,
and producing fewer flowers or seeds than if on a rather poor light
soil.
Neither disease nor insects seem to attack the plants.
The blossoms are endowed with the power of emitting electric sparks
towards evening, a phenomena first observed by the daughter of
Linnæus. It is most distinctly seen ACETARIACEOUS PLANTS.—PURSLANE,
ka. 171 with the eye partly closed. The berries should be gathered for
use while quite green. Abundance of seed will be found in a ripened
state when the plants are pulled up upon the first attack of frost.
They do not retain their vegetative powers above two years. Their
European names are—Capucine in French; Mastruco do Peru in Portuguese;
Kapuzinerblume in German; Fior cappucino in Italian; Spaanche kera in
Dutch; and Capuchinas in Spanish.
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