17^ 



CHIN A. 



Gerard* gives a figure of the well known rhubarb of our 

 gardens, with roundiai crifped leaves. This he names, very 

 properly, Rba verum antiquorum. Parkin/on gives another t in 

 his Paradifus terrejlris^ which he procured from Doaor Mat hew 

 Lijler, phyfician to Charles I. This is acknowledged, from botli 

 their accounts, to be weaker than the other kind which came 

 from China; it is frequent in our gardens. I do not remember 

 that the roots were ever applied to medicinal ufes, but of the 

 tender flioots of the leaves, are made excellent tarts, in the early 

 fummer, not inferior in tafte to the codling. 



The plants which produce the true rhubarb have been but 

 lately difcovered ; the feeds of the Rheum Palmatum were fent 

 from Rujjia by the late Dodtor Mounfey, to Doftor Hope of Edin- 

 burgh, in 1763. He fowed them in the botanical garden ; they 

 fucceeded greatly ; and he, with his nfual liberality, commu- 

 nicated them to the curious. He drew up an account of the 

 plant, and inferted it, attended with moll accurate plates, in vol. 

 Iv. p. 290, of our Phil. Tranfadlions. Do(ftor Wood'ville gives 

 alfo a good figure of the plant at p. 227 of his medicinal botany; 

 as to that referred to by Linnaus (Le Brun''s travels, i. p. 188, 

 189) it feems of fome other fpecies oi Rheum %. 

 Cultivated Th AT moft excellent character the Duke of Aihol, propagated 



it with great fuccefs, not only in his garden, but on the highland 

 mountains that furround his feat at Athol. His benevolent de- 

 fign of rendering common and cheap this nieful medicine, 

 is bleft with the utmoft fuccefs. The roots which he cul- 

 tivated in the light foils, fimilar to thofe of the Tartarian deferts, 



* P-393- t P. 484,485. 



X The Rheum Rhapontiam, cultivated in our EngHJh gardens. E. 



9 the 



i.w Scotland. 



