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cultivated in France as Salade de Chanoinc, Tlie Samphire, the young ghoots of 

 the Fennel, and the scraped, root of the Horse-radish may be added. The flavour 

 of the young and tender tops of the Borage is seldom detected in the modern 

 salad — more frequently in those curious comiioimd drinks which have claret for 

 a base, and to which it imparts a pleasing illusion of coolness. Even here, 

 however, it is replaced by such substitutes as the thin rind of lemon, a slice of 

 Cucumber, or this last combined with one leaf of Mint, all good in their way; 

 but if Borage is worth imitating it is worth cultivating. We must not, 

 however, enter upon the consideration of that large class of plants which, like 

 Mint, Thyme, Parsley, &c., are used for flavoui-s rather than food. 



From an ancient cookery book, entitled "A Forme of Cury," compiled 

 about the end of the 14th centuiy, by the master cooks of Eichard 2nd, I extract 

 this receipt for a salad, modernising the language : — "Take Parsley, Sage, Garlic, 

 young and old Onions, Leek, Borage, Mint, Porrectes, Fennel, and Cresses, Kue, 

 Rosemary, and Purslane ; lave and wash them clean ; pick them, pluck them 

 small with thine hand, and mix them well with raw oil ; lay on vinegar and salt, 

 and serve it forth." As visual, with old receipts, and very proper, the propor- 

 tions are left to the internal consciousness of the compounder, so that a pre- 

 tender to cookery might manage to make a rather nasty dish of it. Observe, 

 however, this great truth : The salad must be plvicked or broken, not cut in 

 pieces with a knife. The dressing is French in principle, and doubtless tells 

 the origin of the receipt. 



Salads used in moderation are allowed to be wholesome to most persons ; 

 they have also this great advantage : they are easily prepared ; while those with 

 whom a good salad does not agree cannot do better than pass round the dish,. 



POT HERBS. 



We now come to the larger class of plants that are adapted for food by 

 being subjected to heat, chiefly by boiling. By this means the hot and bitter 

 principle of most plants becomes softened, and some that are poisonous in a raw 

 state are rendered safe : roots also and the harder tissues of some plants become 

 edible. Quoting again from the same authority we have the following receipt 

 for a mess of herbs: — "Take Borage, Cole wort, Bugloss, Beet, Orach, Avens, 

 Violet, Savory, and Fennel, and when they are sodden press them well 

 small, cast them in a good broth and serve tliem forth." Colewort, one of the 

 species of Brassica, partially improved by cultivation was much used, and was 

 no doubt pungent when compared with our enlarged forms of this class of plants. 

 All the forms of this natural order (the Cruciferas) are very valuable antiscor- 

 butics, and most of them may be used in cookery. Even Sinapis arvetisis, the 

 wild Charlock of the fields is thus employed in Holland and Sweden. Brassica 

 Oleracea, the source of all Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Brocoli, and kiucb-ed Greens, 

 grows wild by the sea in great plenty and is eaten by the country folks. The 

 large solid-headed Cabbage is used for the home manufacture of Choucroute or 



