166 OXALIDE^ 



six pounds, from which two ounces six drachms of impure salt may be 

 obtained ; but as the great chemist Scheele discovered some years since that 

 oxalic acid might be procured by acting on sugar with nitric acid, this less 

 expensive process has superseded the extraction of the salt from the sorrel 

 leaf. The expressed juice of the leaves, evaporated and set in a cool place, 

 affords a crystalline salt, which may be used in any case in which vegetable 

 acids would be serviceable. This is the salt of lemons sold by druggists for 

 removing ink-spots and iron-mould from linen ; though cream of tartar and 

 sulphuric acid are often substituted for the genuine produce of the leaf. 



Children in the country know well how agreeable to the palate are the 

 fresh green leaves of the Wood-sorrel, and the flavour as well as the medical 

 properties approach very nearly to those of the lemon. A small portion of 

 this foliage may be eaten with advantage, as it is an excellent antiscorbutic ; 

 but children should not be allowed to eat it in large quantities. 



The leaves of several of the species are used in America and other 

 countries as a dietetic vegetable. Our plant, boiled in milk, was much 

 recommended by the old herbalists to quench thirst, and serve as a "cordial 

 to the heart "; and leaf, seed, root, and flower, were all considered as fitted 

 to "refresh the overspent spirits with the violent fits of agues." The French 

 call our plant La Stirelle, and La Petit Oseille de Lois; and the Germans term 

 it Der Saiierkhe. We find an allusion to its triple clover-like leaf in its Dutch 

 name of Claverzuuring ; while the Italians and Spaniards still call it by a name 

 by which it was in former days commonly known in England, Alleyluya. 

 Gerarde says, " Apothecaries and herborists call it Alleyluya, or Cuckowe's 

 meat, either because the cuckowe feedeth thereon, or by reason that it 

 springeth forth and flowereth when the cuckowe singeth most ; at which time 

 also Alleyluya was wont to be sung in the churches." The plant evidently 

 had some sacred allusion in Italy, as the Italian painters represented its trefoil 

 leaf in their pictures of the Crucifixion. Gerarde remarks of this plant also 

 that it was used as green sauce for fish, and tells us that the French called it 

 Pain de Cucu ; while he also adds as common names those of Sour Trefoil and 

 Stubwort. The last was, doubtless, given from its frequent growth among 

 underwood. 



The root-stock of our Sorrel is very pretty ; it is like a string of rounded 

 beads, and we have sometimes found the knobs so firm and smooth, and of 

 such deep red colour, as to resemble coral. The roots of some other species 

 are large and edible, and the Oxalis crenata was, some years since, much 

 recommended for extensive culture, in order that its tuberous roots might 

 serve as a substitute for the potato, but it was not found to answer the expec- 

 tations of the cultivator. The Oxalis depjm is reared for the culinary use of 

 its roots, and is grown largely in Belgium, both for its roots and leaves, 

 which are employed in cookery. Mr. Cockburn, gardener to the Earl of 

 Mansfield, at Caen Wood, said of this Sorrel : " We have grown it for 

 several years, and I am convinced that if a little attention is paid to its 

 culture, it will be found useful in the months of October, November, and 

 December ; but it would require a longer season of fine weather than our 

 climate aff"ords to bring its tubers to perfect maturity." He adds, that eight 

 or ten good tubers are sufficient for a dish, and that this plant would be no 



