in Extra-Tropical Countries. 59 



Brassica alba, Visiani. (Sinapis alba, Linne.) 



White Mustard. Eastern Europe, Northern Africa, Northern and 

 Middle Asia. An annual. The seeds are less pungent than those of 

 the Black Mustard, but used in a similar manner. The young leaves 

 of both are useful as a culinary and also antiscorbutic salad. Can be 

 employed with great advantage as green manure and suppresses weeds 

 simultaneously (W. Emerson Mclvor). The cold-pressed oil of mus- 

 tard-seed serves for table-use. Dr. M. T. Masters enumerates 

 Brassica dichotoma, t B. Pekinensis, B. ramosa and B. glauca 

 among the mustards, which undergo cultivation in various parts of 

 Asia, either for the fixed oil of their seeds or for their herbage. From 

 15 Ibs. to 20 Ibs. of seed of the White Mustard are required for an 

 acre. In the climate of California 1,400 Ibs. of seed have been 

 gathered from an acre. Can be grown in shallow soil, even on land 

 recently reclaimed from swamps. It prefers argillaceous ground. The 

 return is obtained in a few months. The stalks and foliage after the 

 seed-harvest serve as sheep-fodder. In Norway the plant comes still 

 to perfection as far north as lat. 70 (Schuebeler). 



Brassica Chinensis, Linne. 



China and Japan. Serves like B. oleracea for cabbage, and pro- 

 duced in cultivation new varieties, particularly for use very late in 

 the season. The seeds in Japan extensively pressed for oil. B. 

 Cretica (Lamarck) is a woody Mediterranean species. 



Brassica juncea, J. Hooker and Thomson. (B. Willdenovii, Boissier; Sinapis 

 juncea, Linne.) 



From Middle Africa to China. According to Colonel Drury cul- 

 tivated all over India for Sarepta-Mustard seed ; also a good salad- 

 plant. 



Brassica nigra, Koch. (Sinapis nigra, Linne. ) 



The " Black Mustard.-" Europe, Northern Africa, Middle Asia. 

 An annual. The seeds simply crushed and then sifted constitute the 

 mustard of -commerce. For medicinal purposes the seeds of this 

 species are preferable for sinapisin and especially sinapisms. Through 

 aqueous distillation a volatile oil of extreme pungency is obtained 

 from mustard-seeds. In rich soil, this plant is very prolific; and in 

 forest-valleys it is likely to remain free from the attacks of aphides. 

 Chemical constituents: a peculiar fixed oil, crystalline sinapin, the 

 fatty sinapisin, myronic acid and myrosin. All mustards can be 

 regarded as honey-plants. Brassica-seeds of various kinds are 

 retaining their vitality for several years. 



Brassica oleracea, Linne.* 



An annual or biennial coast-plant, indigenous to various parts of 

 Europe. It is mentioned here with a view of showing, that it might 

 be naturalized on any rocky and sandy sea-shores. One of the best 

 plants for newly reclaimed lands. From the wild plant of the coast 

 have originated various kinds of cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower; 



