ACETAKIOUS PLANTS. 305 



the height of about a foot and a half, producing white 

 flowers which blow in June or July. It germinates 

 very rapidly, and is most generally used in its earliest 

 growth. In this state it is mixed with the young 

 leaves of mustard, and is the most esteemed of all 

 the small salads or plants which are used in the early 

 leaf. 



Its flavour is so warm and pungent as to have 

 procured for it the name of pepper-wort. During the 

 greater part of the year a constant supply may be 

 obtained by sowing a portion every week, and the 

 application of a moderate artificial heat will furnish it 

 throughout the winter. 



MUSTARD Sinapis alba is often found growing 

 wild among corn ; but it is very generally cultivated, 

 being sown with the garden cress to be eaten in the 

 seed-leaf as a small salad ; but when the plants are 

 of a more advanced growth, the leaves become harsh 

 and rank. Its flowers appear in June or July, and 

 these are succeeded by round rough pods. Like 

 cress it most readily germinates, and is, indeed, of still 

 quicker growth. The seeds, strewed on wet flannel, 

 or on cork, floating on water, quickly put forth tender 

 leaves, and a salad is thus in a few days produced at 

 the winter fireside. 



The Sinapis alba is not generally cultivated for its 

 seeds, which are used as a condiment ; the species 

 usually grown for this purpose is the nigra. 



BURNET Poterium sanguisorba is an upland 

 perennial, found upon dry soils, and attaining to 

 rather more than a foot in height. Its flowers, form- 

 ing small greenish heads tinged with purple, appear 

 in July. The leaves, when bruised, smell like cu- 

 cumber. They have a slightly pungent taste ; but 

 their chief value consists in their continuing green 

 and fit for use during winter. This plant was for- 

 merly much more cultivated than it is at present. 



roL. xv. 26* 



