THE STOUT OF TUB WILD FLOWEHS. 



country. I fbimd a variety growing wild on an island 

 which is called Spinach Island, between the Cove of 

 Stradbally and Dungarvan. Celery (Apium gmve- 

 olens) is a universally recognized native of our salt 

 marshes, where its strong smell, stringy fibres, and 

 suspicious reputation scarcely leads the observer to 

 suspect the white and delicate table vegetable so fami- 

 liar to us. The Sea-Kale (Cramle inaritima), the 

 white flowers of which have so strong a smell of honey, 

 grows wild among the sand and shingle of our coasts. 

 This vegetable was known to the .Romans, and was by 

 them salted down for long voyages. The "Wild Cabbage 

 (Brassica oleraced) grows near the sea-side, but the 

 Wild Turnip (Brassica campestris) is found inland. 

 The Sea-Beet (Beta maritima) is the parent of more 

 than one variety of garden beet and of mangold 

 wurtzel. Its leaves are often eaten as spinach. Along 

 our hedgerows we find the "Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca 

 sativa), and the "Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) is found 

 indigenous on light sandy soils. There are many plants 

 which in their wild state furnish vegetables. The tops 

 of Nettles are frequently used in spring-time in the 

 country. In many parts of Lancashire they are sold 

 for making nettle beer and for mixing with porridge. 



