WHOLESOME VEGETABLES.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 22, 10 December 1874, Page 3

WHOLESOME VEGETABLES.

The culture of esculent ;and culinary vegetables, as practiced in this Colony, and very .probably ia other countries as well, aims at a quick luxuriant growth, a large yield, and also 'a large .development. The largest size, combined with quick growth, is the one grand object sought ; and for every kind of crop the' treatment considered most, likely to secure that result is applied.^ It is never supposed that there, may be other qualities necessary in some of the objects cultured than those named. It is never for one moment doubted that a handsome, well-developed, and largesized vegetable, whether valued for the root, herbage, or fruit, can be deficient m some property necessary to its wholesomeness as an article "of. food. Far less is it thought possible that the Very beauty of the sample produced may own that, fine appearance, in part, to the very absence of that, property. Yet it is quite true that such may be the case; and true also that it is. often the case. Not only may this deficiency be the result of the treatment applied to produce the desired development, but it may have another result equally as objectionable. The luxuriant growth may be, and often is, accompanied by qualities which they ought not' to possess, and would not if the means, to prevent it had been adopted in the culture.

We ; by no means desire to contend' that a defective or unsound quality is > an inevitable accompaniment and consequence of a high development and luxuriant growth. On the contrary,' we would be more inclined to' the opinion that such a development was both desirable and necessary, to soundness ; and also to the .highest excellence either in fruit or vegetable.- What we do contend for is that an apparent perfection of growth may be produced whilst the produce is actually .imperfect, unsound, and unhealthy'; and therefore, as already stated, unwholesome for food.

Presumably, the swamp gardens which afford so large a portion of the vegetables consumed in ' Sydney are, and have long been, in the condition described. Poor in the necessary universal plant foods in their original state, what little they might have "contained must long since have become exhausted, -Yet they continue to pro* duce luxuriant crops; but it is moro than doubtful whether they are such as could be -wished in regard to wholesomeness, or can be habitually used as food without injury to health. Who . can say .whether or not the large consumption of vegetables, grown under the circumstances, mentioned, and consumed by the community, is the parent or nurse of the sickness and want of health so common amongst us ? it is a subject well worth investigating 5 and it is; one which seldom receives any notice whatever It is not uncommon to hear discussions on the subject of over-fed, coarsely-fed, and otherwise improperly fattened animals, when intended for our tables. Few, indeed, would sit down comfortably or enjoy a dinner at which slush-fed pork or poultry ostensibly formed a prominent feature. Some object even to barn-fed chickens, and the eggs from fowls similarly fed, as coarse-flavored *nd ' nasty. Were the nicety of taste exercised in regard to beans, peas, potatoes, cabbage, 60c , there would bo found a still greater difference in flavor between the properly nourished and the improperly or coarsely-fed vegetable. No doubt the difference is often noticed, but seldom accounted for, or -even inquired into.. The major part of the vegetables in daily use, both culinary and salad, are more or less medicinal, as well as nutritive in their effects •; and when taken into our system through its digestive laboratory,, con-, tribute to an healthy or an unhealthy state of its vital 'juices to a much greater extent than animal foor** As showing that our remarks " in reference to this matter are neither beside the question of kitchen garden culture, nor altogether idle, in the importance which we desire to see given to it, we may refer to the discussions that have taken place -in England in reference to the application of the sewage of towns, to the pastures and to garden crops. Some anticipate evil results from the over-feeding of garden crops. ' We have scarcely gone so far as this, though Our drift is of a similar nature. We have only contended that an unsound, and therefore unwholesome luxuriance 'is * possible and probable by furnishing nutriment to the crop, deficient. iin.cerl . :. tain inorganic ingredients, .while; the: l. . 1 oq jectors to sewage have left such compensating ingredients out of sight- alto- - gether. It has even been suggested and maintained by some thatjhk Jongr. ■ dreaded- foot-and-mouth disease 'in ( cattle originated from the use of sewage ■ fodder. We do ; not, think it will h& '•'■-'> found so, provided compensating food- • stuffs were present. Be this as it may> it cannot beldenied that a comprehenr „ sive investigation would be of good a^-^ vantage to the^ community ; wjiil£ &t : '-„. the same time' it would, be creditable ;to : . the country. ; It should* hbrbe 1 forgot-' ten that althpttgkour Temarkshayefen^i to a Certain extent 'enclosed within the'/}.)]kitchen garden hedges* ybtffi&f'iEwe : &*-**f-) bearing upon the, arable fieldjmd Ihe . v : pasture land4—the bread 'ktn^^MitQjt^^y: both poor and rich."^ < Tow^^H?ai;Co^^^l v^ try? ' .. '• :- : -:^. \'J).^^^^iipS . ' ' l " -~ y- : y''^y^m^m- : -r^