When cultivated for its pods, the seeds should be sown in drills two feet apart, and the plants thinned to nine inches in the drills.
MALLOW, CURLED-LEAVED.
Malva crispa.
An annual plant, introduced from Europe, and occasionally found growing spontaneously in the vicinity of gardens where it has been once cultivated. The stem is frequently more than six feet in height; the leaves are nearly five inches in diameter, smooth, and of a rich green color, lobed, and beautifully frilled or curled on the borders; flowers axillary, white, and small; the seeds are somewhat kidney-shaped, of a yellowish-brown color, and retain their powers of germination five years.
Cultivation.—The seeds are sown the last of April or beginning of May, and covered about an inch deep. The plants require much space, and should be grown at least eighteen inches asunder. The best method is to drop a few seeds where the plants are to grow; or to rake in a few seeds sown broadcast, and transplant.
Use.—No part of the plant is considered suitable for food; but the elegantly curled leaves are employed for garnishing desserts.