RHEUM PALWATUM. ORD. XL. Oleracee. 655 
into Britain in 1762,* by Dr. Mounsey, (who sent them from 
Russia) and were supposed to be a part of those already mentioned ; 
and since their prosperous cultivation by the late Professor of 
Botany at Edinburgh, the propagation of this plant has been 
gradually extended to most of our English gardens, and with a 
degree of success which promises in time to supersede the im- 
portation of the foreign root.% 
Two sorts of rhubarb roots are usually imported into this country 
for medical use, viz. the Chineze,} and the Turkey rhubarb;" the 
prestantiorem posse radicem ferre quam montes frigidi et humidi Sibiriz.” 
Murray t.¢. Pallas Reise, vol. 3. p. 156. Georgi Reise, vol. 1. p. 210. The. 
seeds of the compactum were sent to Miller “ from Petersborough, for the true 
Tartarian rhubarb, and were gathered from the plants growing on the spot, where 
the rhubarb was taken up; and upon trial of the roots, they are found to be as 
good as the foreign rhubarb.” See his Dict. 6th edition. 
-* Jn the Hort. Kew. this plant is said.to have been first cultivated in England 
Tas chs 
s The Society for Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, has 
laudably contributed to this national object, of which their Transactions published 
bear sufficient evidence. 
+ Colitur hoc a agp Ott peecipge in proviace 2 Xensi sub nomine 7 the ar 2 
Radius M. M. p 
oa Olim, quum commercium in orientalibas ee per ‘Natoliam fieret,, 
Rhabarbarum ex portibus, Turcicis ad Europeas transferebatur, unde nomen 
Rhabarbari Turcici.” “Murray, 1.c. Mr. Bell (iwhis Travels from St. Petersburg 
to divers parts of Asia) says, that the best rhubarb grows plentifully on a long 
chain of mountains -in Tartary, which extend from Selin to the lake. Koko-nor 
near, Tibet. At a proper age the roots are taken up, which, according to Pallas, 
isin April or May; but in Bell’s account, this is said to be done in the antumn: 
they are then to be cleaned, the smaller shee cut off, and the larger roots 
divided into pieces of a proper size; after this they are perforated, and suspended 
te dry either upon the adighboubiny trees, or in tents, or as some Have’ pages e 
to the horns of sheep. The proper exsiccation of this root is certainly 
with Eopsidgrable difficulty, and the cultivators of rhubarb in this. constenier° 
this process, aecording to the experiment. of Sir William Fordy ce, loses 
tenths of its weight.” See Trans. es the Society for Bath dgoteat y: arts ao % 
No. 50.-vor, 4).00 EBs 
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