E 403 ] 



hiight, for aught that appears to the contrary^ equal any 

 of the foreign. 



Another precaution that appears highly neceffaj-y is, the 

 cutting out the central part of every piece of the roor. 

 It is found by experience that the internal pieces, perhaps 

 from their proximity to the fap, are moifteft and moft fub- 

 je£l to decay, as was before obferved about the Engli(h 

 rhubarbs; and when any part comes into this ftate, the 

 infedlion foon fpreads and damages the whole of the piece. 

 It is doubtlefs, therefore, to avoid this, that the pieces of 

 Ruffian rhubarb have all holes (and thofe pretty large) cut 

 through their centre, which have been generally thought to 

 have been made only to ferve the purpofe of hanging up, 

 but appear to be for one material purpofe befides. Some 

 of the beft pieces of the Englifli rhubarb had holes bored 

 through them ; one particularly of No. II. of which I have 

 taken notice above; but thefe holes were not fufficiently 

 large to clear away the fpongy and decaying parts : larger 

 holes, tlierefore, are undoubtedly required. 



Another defeat in the fpecimens of rhubarb above exa- 

 mined is, that the outfide is not fcraped, or rather rafped, 

 as the foreign rhubarbs are: — This not only gives it a 

 Ihrivelled and mean appearance and colour, but is really of 

 great differvice, by obftruiEting the quicknefs of drying, 

 from the pores not being laid open for the herbaceous 

 moifture to exhale. Though the bark be ftripped off, the 

 larger pores running moftly longitudinally, do not open 

 laterally, and of courfe the watery fluid is confined, and 

 exfudes very flowly. 



It is probable, that a great improvement might be made 

 in the preparation of the Englilh rhubarb, by accelerating 

 its drying. It was formerly thought thiit plants were bcft 



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