p. 
Kew GARDEN MUSEUM ; or, an Account of the Origin and some of the 
Contents of the Museum or Economic Botany attached to the 
Roya, GARDENS or Kew; £y the Director, Sır W. J. HOOKER, 
K.H., F.R., A., and L.S. 
(Continued from vol. vi. p. 26.) 
Ord. CRUCIFERÆ. CrucIFEROUS FAMILY. 
This Family, or Natural Order, derives its name from the cross- 
shaped petals, there being almost invariably four uniform petals to the 
flower, placed in opposite pairs, hence cross-shaped; and the six tetra- 
dynamous stamens (four long and two short) afford almost as constant 
a character. It abounds in genera and species, chiefly inhabiting tem- 
perate climates : not one of them is poisonous or hurtful: a great number 
are useful to mankind, especially the less acrid, as esculent, culinary, 
affording oil in the seed, and oil-cake for feeding cattle, and valuable 
manures, Many are antiscorbutic, particularly the Cochlearie (Scurvy- 
grasses); but such plants become inert when dried. They possess a 
certain degree of acridity, and they contain sulphur and nitrogen, to 
which is supposed to be due their animal odour when rotting. 
As this Family of Plants is rich in culinary and horticultural and 
agricultural objects, not a few of them owing their peculiarities to cul- 
tivation, and as our extensive collection of them is the Messrs. Law- 
son’s liberal gift, already spoken of, I must here refer to the excellent 
list of * The Lawsonian Collection; or Synopsis of Vegetable Products 
of Scotland in the Museum of the Royal Gardens of Kew. Edinburgh : 
private press of Peter Lawson and Son; 1852, for what concerns the 
agricultural products of this Family. When not otherwise expressed, 
it is to be understood that such articles are part and parcel of that 
Collection. 
Water-cress. Nasturtium officinale, R. Br. Britain. Seed. Young — 
plants are a favourite salad, pungent and antiscorbutic. Often culti- - 
vated in artificial running streams for sale. p 
Cuckoo-flowers. Cardamine pratensis, Z. Britain. Medicinal: con- E 
sidered useful as a stimulant, diaphoretic, and diuretic. 
Horse-radish. Cochlearia Armoracia, Z. Europe. Seed, and wax 
model of root. Pungent, acrid, stimulant, and vesicant. Scraped roots 
much used as a condiment. 
VOL. VII. Ps 
