Chap. 29.] ELECAMPANE. 167 



is retained ; indeed, when modified by the addition of honied 

 wine, this is even thought to impart to dishes an additional 

 relish. The larger parsnip has also a similar sting inside, but 

 only when it is a year old. The proper time for sowing the 

 skirret is in the months of February, March, April, August, 

 September, and October. 



CHAP. 29. — ELECAMPAl^E. 



Elecampane '^ is not so elongated as the preceding roots, but 

 more substantial and more pungent ; eaten by itself it is very 

 injurious to the stomach, but when mixed with other condi- 

 ments of a sweet nature, it is extremely wholesome. There 

 are several methods employed for modifying ^^ its natural 

 acridity and rendering it agreeable to the palate : thus, for in- 

 stance, w'hen dried it is reduced to a fine flour, and then mixed 

 with some sweet liquid or other, or else it is boiled in vinegar 

 and water, or kept in soak in it; it is also steeped in various 

 other ways, and then mixed with boiled ^^ grape-juice, or else 

 incorporated with honey or raisins, or dates with plenty of 

 meat on them. Other persons, again, have a method of pre- 

 paring it with quinces, or else sorbs or plums, while sometimes 

 the flavour is varied by the addition of pepper or thyme. 



This plant is particularly good for weakness of the stomach, 

 and it has acquired a high reputation from the circumstance 

 that Julia ^■^ Augusta used to eat it daily. The seed of it is 

 quite useless, as the plant is reproduced, like the reed, from 

 eyes extracted from the root. This vegetable, as well as the 

 skirret and the parsnip, is sown both in spring and autumn, a 

 considerable distance being left between the plants ; indeed, for 

 elecampane, a space of no less than three feet is required, as 



^3 The Inula Helenium of Linnaeus. Its English name is derived from 

 Inula ciirapana, that under whick it is so highly recommended in the pre- 

 cepts of the School of Health at Salerno. See also B. xx. c. 19. At the 

 present day it is universally rejected as an article of food in any shape. 



^* The School of Salerno says that it may be preserved by being pickled 

 in brine, or else in the juice of rue, which, as Fee remark's, would pro- 

 duce neither more nor less than a veritable poison. The modern Pharma- 

 copoeias give the receipt of a conserve of elecampane, which, however, is no 

 longer used. 



15 " Defrutum." Must, boiled down to one half. 



1^ The daughter of Augustus Caesar. 



