CUCUMBER. 229 
CUCUMBER, 
BELONGING to the Melon tribe of plants, our Cucumber (Cucumis 
sativus) has been known and cultivated in North Western India 
for more than three thousand years. This is the only fruit we 
eat while still green without being cooked. Speaking generally, 
it is thought to be a questionable article of food, except for persons 
of rude, vigorous digestive powers. ‘“‘ But,” says the Boston 
School Cooking Magazine (1897), “‘ when eaten before the seeds 
are hardened, fresh from the vine, and without adding vinegar, 
or soaking in salt water, the Cucumber is more wholesome, 
nourishing, and digestible than the apple.” Dr. Hutchison 
now tells us, on the contrary, that the Cucumber contains only 
4 per cent of solids in its whole bulk, and is a type of one of the 
least nourishing of vegetables. Yet it must be said that for 
centuries past, the Cucumber has formed the staple diet of the 
people of Persia. In the time of our English George the First, 
a want of courage was popularly imputed to tailors, insomuch 
that nine of these pusillanimous worthies were needed to make 
one man; and, as report went, “’Tis the opinion of our curious 
virtuosos that their lack of bravery ariseth from the immoderate 
eating of Cucumbers, which too much refrigirate their blood.” 
““T be that fond ov cowcumbers,” says the Devon peasant, 
TI ciide aight um tii ivery meal, but I can’t digest um.” Forty 
years or more ago even persons of title would talk of “ Cow- 
cumbers” ; whilst apple pie, and cherry pie, were the correct 
things, all the others being tarts. Inthe Levant, writes Tavernier, 
“Tf a child cries for something to eat, a raw Cucumber is given 
to it instead of bread.” 
The fact is well worthy of notice here that if our garden herb, 
the Salad Burnet (Poterium sanguisorba, so called quod sanguineos 
fluxus sistat) be more cultivated, and used, its small, finely-cut 
leaves, which have a distinct flavour of Cucumber, may be 
substituted, so as to convey without any disagreement of digestion 
the desired flavour to those delicate persons who are debarred 
from taking the real thing. These leaves when put into a 
cool tankard “ give,” says Gerarde, “‘a grace in the drynkynge.” 
Allied to the Salad Burnet is the ‘Pimpernel, Pimpinella, contain- 
ing saponin, such as the Soapwort also furnishes. These herbs 
are of approved utility for subduing irritation of the urinary 
passages. Also as to the wild Pimpernel, or familiar little — 
