Chap. 22.] HISTORY OF TWENTY DIFFERENT PLANTS. 155 



CHAP. 21. PLANTS OTHER THAN GI1AIN AND SHRUBS. 



Among the garden plants there are some that recommend 

 themselves by their bulbs, others by the head, others by the 

 stalk, others by the leaf, others by both : some, again, are 

 valued for their seed, others for the outer coat, others for their 

 membranous tissues, others for their cartilaginous substance, 

 others for the firmness of their flesh, and others for the fleshy 

 tunics in which they are enveloped. 



CHAP. 22. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF TWENTY DIFFERENT KINDS 



OF PLANTS WHICH GROW IN GARDENS THE PROPER METHODS TO 



BE FOLLOWED IN SOWING THEM RESPECTIVELY. 



Of some plants the fruits 41 are in the earth, of others both in 

 the earth and out of it, and of others, again, out of the earth 

 solely. Some of them increase as they lie upon the ground, 

 gourds and cucumbers, for instance ; the same products will 

 grow also in a hanging position, but they are much heavier 

 even then than any of the fruits that grow upon trees. The 

 cucumber, however, is composed of cartilage and a fleshy sub- 

 stance, while the gourd consists of rind and cartilage : this last 

 is the only vegetable production the outer coat of which be- 

 comes of a ligneous nature, when ripe. Radishes, turnips, 

 and rape are hidden in the earth, and so, too, are elecampane, 41 * 

 skirrets, 43 and parsnips, 43 though in a different manner. There 

 are some plants, again, to which we shall give the name of 

 " ferulaceous," anise " and mallows, for instance ; indeed, we 

 find it stated by some writers that in Arabia 45 the mallow be- 



41 By the word "fructus" he no doubt means the edible parts solely, 

 the leaf, stalk, or root, as the case may be. 



41 * Fee is surprised to find elecampane figuring among the garden vege- 

 tables. It has a powerful odour, is hitter, and promotes expectoration. 

 Though not used as a vegetahle it is still used as a preserve, or sweetmeat, 

 mixed with sugar. See further on it in c. 29 of this Book. 



42 See c. 28 of this Book. 43 See c. 27 of this Book. 



44 Fee remarks that this juxtaposition of anise and mallows betokens 

 the most complete ignorance of botany on the part of our author ; there 

 being few plants which differ more essentially. The field-mallow, or 

 Malva silvestris of Linnaeus, or perhaps several varieties of it, are here 

 referred to. The anise will be further mentioned in c. 74 of this Book. 



45 Fee suggests that the plant here mentioned may have been an annual, 

 prohably the Lavatorea arhorea of botanists, or some kindred species. In 

 a few months it is known to attain a height of ten feet or more. 



