r O o The Kitchen Garden. 



CHAP. XXXII. 



Dracoherba fiue Tarchon & Dracunculus hortenjis. Tarragon. 



TArragon hath long and narrow darke greene leaues, growing on (lender and 

 brittle round ftalkes, two or three foote high, at the tops whereof grow forth 

 long (lender fpikes of fmall yellowifh flowers, which feldome giue any good 

 feede, but a duftie or chaffie matter, which flieth away with the winde : the roote is 

 white, and creepeth about vnder ground, whereby it much encreafeth : the whole 

 herbe is of a hot and biting tafte. 



The Vfe of Tarragon. 



It is altogether vfed among other cold herbes, to temper their coldnefle, 

 and they to temper its heate, fo to giue the better rellim vnto the Sallet ; but 

 many doe not like the tafte thereof, and fo refufe it. 



There are fome Authors that haue held Tarragon not to be an herbe of 

 it owne kinde, but that it was firft produced, by putting the feede of Lin or 

 Flaxe into the roote of an Onion, being opened and fo fet into the ground, 

 which when it hath fprung, hath brought forth this herbe Tarragon, which 

 abfurd and idle opinion, Matthiolus by certaine experience faith, hath 

 been found falfe. 



CHAP. XXXIII. 

 Nasturtium hortenfe. Garden Crefles. 



GArden Crefles growe vp to the height of two foote or thereabouts, hauing 

 many fmall, whitifh, broad, endented, torne leaues, fet together vpon a mid- 

 dle ribbe next the ground, but thofe that growe higher vpon the ftalkes are 

 fmaller and longer : the tops of the ftalkes are ftored with white flowers, which turne 

 into flat pods or pouches, like vnto Shepheard purfe, wherein is contained flat reddifh 

 feede : the roote perifheth euery yeare : the tafte both of leaues and feedes are fome- 

 what ftrong, hot, and bitter. 



The Vfe of Creffes. 



The Dutchmen and others vfe to eate Crefles familiarly with their but- 

 ter and bread, as alfo ftewed or boyled, either alone or with other herbes, 

 whereof they make a Hotch potch, and fo eate it. Wee doe eate it mixed 

 among Lettice or Purflane, and fometimes with Tarragon or Rocket, with 

 oyle and vinegar and a little fait, and in that manner it is very fauoury to 

 fome mens ftomackes. 



The vfe of Crefles phyfically is, it helpeth to expectorate tough flegme, 

 as alfo for the paines of the breaft ; and as it is thought taketh away 

 fpots, being laid to with vinegar. The feede is giuen of many to children 

 for the wormes. 



CHAP. 



