KITCHEN HEEBS. 63 



BASIL. 



Two species of basil are cultivated, the " Bush Green " and the 

 " Sweet Green," the former is Ocimum * minimum, L., and the latter 

 0. Basilicum, L., both being natives of India. They were introduced 

 into England in 1573 and 1548 respectively. 



The sixteenth-century herbalists, as well as Tournefort (1730), only 

 refer to its supposed medicinal virtues, which Parkinson is inclined to 

 consider to be of little value (1640). 



At the present time the leafy shoots, being strongly scented, are 

 used for seasoning. 



BORAGE. 



This plant was probably known to the ancients under the Greek 

 and Latin name for " Ox-tongue " (Bouglossos and Buglossd) The 

 following remark of Pliny most probably refers to Borage, " the main 

 peculiarity of this plant is, that if put into wine, it promotes mirth and 

 hilarity, whence it has obtained the additional name of euphrosynum," 

 i.e. 'promoting cheerfulness.' The present Latin name is Borago 

 officinalis, L. 



Gerard (1597) observes: "Those of our time do use the flowers 

 in salads to exhilarate and make the mind glad, to the comfort of 

 the heart and driving away of sorrow." 



It is still employed in claret-cup, &c. It is a common roadside 

 weed in Malta, and extends from Middle and South Europe to West 

 Africa. 



BURNET. 



Garden or salad Burnet is botanically Poterium Sanguisorba, L. 

 The name is derived from the Latin word poterium, a goblet, as the 

 foliage, tasting somewhat like cucumber, was put into the so-called 

 " cool tankard." 



In the sixteenth century the Burnet was called Pimpinella or 

 Bipennula, from the two rows of leaflets. One botanist, Gesner, sug- 

 gested it should be called " Peponella, because of its smell like 

 Melons or Pompions, to which it is like." Besides several medicinal 

 uses, Gerard says, " The leaves of Burnet steeped in wine and drunken, 

 doth comfort the hart, and maketh it merrie. " 



CARAWAY. 



Carum Carui, L. , is not a native, but is occasionally naturalized 

 from cultivation. Hooker gives its distribution as Northern Europe, 

 North and West Asia, and Himalaya. Gerard says that " Caruwaies 

 grew almost everywhere in Germanic and in Bohemia; and took its 

 name from Caria, where Dioscorides said it grew. The seeds are 

 confected or made with sugar into comfits." Besides possessing 



* The ancient herbalist distinguished between Ocimum and Ocymum : 

 as the latter name was given by Tragus to the Buckwheat, from its rapid ger- 

 mination ? ok us in Greek meaning " quick." 



