VIII. THE STEM. 149 



28. There are yet two more names of stalk to be stud 

 ied, though, except for particular plants, not needing tc 

 be used, namely, the Latin cau-dex, and cau-lis, both 

 connected with the Greek /eai/Xo?, properly meaning a 

 solid stalk like a handle, passing into the sense of the hilt 

 of a sword, or quill of a pen. Then, in Latin, caudex 

 passes into the sense of log, and so, of cut plank or tab- 

 let of wood ; thus finally becoming the classical ' codex ' 

 of writings engraved on such wooden tablets, and there- 

 fore generally used for authoritative manus-cripts. 



Lastly, 4 caul is, 1 retained accurately in our cauliflower, 

 contracted in ' colewort,' and refined iu kail,' softens 

 itself into the French 4 chou,' meaning properly the whole 

 family of thick-stalked eatable salads with spreading 

 heads ; but these being distinguished explicitly by Pliny 

 as ' Capitati,' 'salads with a head,' or ' Captain salads,' 

 the mediaeval French softened the ' caulis capitatus ' into 

 6 chou cab us ; ' or, to separate the round or apple-like 

 mass of leaves from the flowery foam, ' eabus ' simply, by 

 us at last enriched and emphasized into * cabbage.' 



29. I believe we have now got through the stiffest piece 

 of etymology we shall have to master in the course of our 

 botany ; but I am certain that young readers will find 

 patient work, in this kind, well rewarded by the groups 

 of connected thoughts which will thus attach themselves 

 to familiar names ; and their grasp of every language 

 thoy learn must only be esteemed by them secure when 

 they recognize : ts derivatives in these homely associations, 



