(^thc Genus Brassica, 97 



ohove ou en ceuf^ obovata (Egg-shaped Cabbage), is shaped 

 exactly like an agg with the small end downward.'-, and has, 

 I believe, no common name. 4th, Chou elliptique ou ovale, 

 elliptica (Elliptic Cabbage), the head of which is a perfect 

 oval, swelled out in the middle, and equally pointed at both 

 ends ; it is called by the French gardeners, Chou d ' York. 

 5th, C/iou en ]mi7i de sucre, co7iica (Conical Cabbage); the 

 shape of this Cabbage resembles an obtuse cone, or a long 

 ^oS' ^^^ lai'ge end downwards ; it is cultivated in France un- 

 der the following additional names of Chou Chicon, Chou 

 d'Ambervi liters, Chou de Battersea, Chou a tete conique. 



All these varieties are susceptible of keeping the natural 

 colour of their foliage; those that are green on the outside of 

 the head and white in the middle, are called Choux povimes 

 blancs (White Round-headed Cabbages); others, that take a 

 purple tinge, deep only on the outside leaves, are called Choux 

 pommcs rouges (Red Round-headed Cabbages). The Sphe- 

 roidal Cabbage appears to have the greatest tendency to purple 

 of any other ; its sub-variety is what is generally called Chou 

 rouge, or Red Cabbage. Gardeners again distinguish among 

 the Round-headed Cabbages, the Full Heads and the Hollow 

 Heads; but as this character is far from being constant, it 

 may be looked upon rather as an accident than as a variety in 

 the species. The flowers in this race are generally yellow, 

 but now and then are white in different varieties. 



Fifth Race. Brassica oleracea caulo-rapa. 

 Chou-rave. Turnip Cabbage. 



This race is easily distinguished by the swelling of the stalk 

 in the upper part, which forms a kind of round fleshy head 

 on the end of the stem on which the leaves are produced ; this 

 swollen part is usually employed for culinary purposes ; the 

 comparative thinness of the leaves ajjpears to be also a con- 

 stant character in this kind. M. Sageret has assured me, that 

 many of the hybrids he had formed from various kinds of 

 Cabbages had the same swelled stalk as the Chou-rave, and I 

 should not be surprised to find among the many different 

 Choux-raves cultivated in gardens, varieties proceeding from 

 other races of Cabbages. 



The common Chou-rave and the Chou-'navet arc often con- 

 founded together, each name being indifferently given to both 

 in most of the French provinces ; they are, however, distinct 

 kinds. The leaves of the Chou-rave are perfectly smooth, 

 those of the Chuu-navct hispid or hairy. Tlie Chou-rave is 

 swelled only at the head of the stem ; in the Chou-navet, on 

 the contrary, it is the root that sweUs, the stem inclining to 



Vol. 61. No. 298. Feb. lJJiJ3. N diminish 



