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shoots of Good King Henry, peeled and boiled, taste like aspai-agiis. In 

 Scotland the soft cores of Cabbage stems, called castocks, are thus cooked, as 

 also are the shoots of Epilohium anriustifulium and Tamus communis, the 

 tender stalks of the Burdock cut and stripped just before flowering are delicious, 

 and so are several others — more or less. Indeed it seems somewhat superfluous 

 to plant asparagus, such is the magic of toast and butter. 



The Alisander was iised as a potherb as well as in salad, just as celery 

 may be used now. Picris hicracioidcs, Eypochccris maculata and several other 

 of the milky compositoe are described as good. The Sow-thistle (Sonchus 

 ohraccas) was used by the Romans as well as by old English cooks, and is 

 stUl boiled as spinach in some countries and much praised. Mons. Soyer says 

 it has been given up to the rabbits who are likely to retain undisputed 

 possession of it. If one could be quite sure that he had tried it we might be 

 better inclined to take his word as to its value. The milk thistle (Cardum 

 Marianus) used to be cooked for the table, and I have seen a receipt dated 

 about 1760 for cooking the blanched root leaves of the largest of owe thistles 

 after the manner of Cardoons. The peeled stems and the thick mid-ribs of the 

 leaves in the whole tribe are decidedly nutricious— let those who know and 

 love the Cardoon look kindly on these poor relations for its sake. In Belgium 

 they boil the roots of the Wild Chicory parsnep-wise. Salsify (Trariopogon 

 po'vifoHus) is an excellent table vegetable, now again somewhat more in 

 fashion. The common yellow goatsbeard (T. pratensisj may be similarly used, 

 and was cultivated in old gardens. The French continue to use it imder 

 the name of Sahifi des pris. 



Amongst the Umbelliferous plants — two roots — the Carrot and the 

 Parsnep require cultivation to reduce their strong flavour and poisonous 

 properties. Professor Buckman experimented for several years upon tlie Wild 

 Parsnep at the Agricultural College, Cirencester, and produced a middling 

 sized and very regularly shaped root, with a better colo\ir and more flavour 

 than the rather mild vegetable with which our ancestors qualified their diet 

 of salt fish. This, which is named the " Student " Parsnep,is succeeding well 

 in the hands of Messrs. Sutton of Reading, who say that it is the best now 

 giown. 



The tuberous root of Stachys palustris is rich in starch, and makes a 

 palatable dish, especially if grown in rich soil. That of the Goosegrass 

 (PotentiUa anserina) is roasted or boiled in Scotland, and has the flavour of 

 parsnep. Of roots which are used in making bread, tliose of the Meadow 

 sweet are ground up for that purpose in Sweden. Those of the Buckbean and 

 Bistort have also been employed. 



The large roots of the black and white Briony and that of the Meadow 

 Saffron, ( Colc.hiciim aiUumnak), altliough of an aci id nature, become mild by 

 cooking, bruising, and washing in water. The milky root of Arum nuiodittum 



