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Salad Plants and Pot-herbs. 



The term salad is usually applied to two or more of any of the nu- 

 merous salad plants, dressed with mustard, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, 

 or other substances, forming with them a consistence more stimulating 

 and antiscorbutic, and calculated to correct any injurious effects likely 

 to arise from the raw vegetable substances thus eaten. Most persons 

 in health crave these salads, and they may thus enjoy them to great 

 extent with impunity. The cucumber, though prepared in a similar 

 manner, is a. fruit, and does not, therefore, belong to the list of cruci- 

 ferous plants. The radish and water-cress, and some other plants, 

 may be eaten without this preparation. Some are spring, others sum- 

 mer, and others autumn and winter salads. Lettuce, endive and some 

 others belong to the order Compositae. The daisy, thistle, and leon- 

 todon are types of the sections of the order. 



To forward salad herbs, the tomato, &c., in small quantities, a hot- 

 bed is made early in spring of heating substances, on which may be 

 laid to the depth of 9 inches, leaf-mould, old tan, horse-stabling, or light 

 compost. The seeds may be sown in boxes or flower-pots, and sunk 

 in the bed to the top edge. Annual flowers may also be thus raised 

 early. The pungency of some of these is owing to their volatile oil 

 and sulphur, as with horse-radish. 



CELERY, opium graveolen*, C. 5. O. 2. sp. 1. Eh. B. 4 ft. This is 

 a native of Europe. It is found in a wild state in ditches, marshes 

 and on the sea-coast under the name ofsmallage ; it is poisonous, with 

 a very coarse unpleasant taste ; but when cultivated, it loses these 

 pioperties and becomes grateful and wholesome, especially by being 

 kept from the light, so that its poisonous principle is not elaborated. 

 But like all raw vegetable matter, it is inoxious only when completely 

 boiled. The leaves abound with a cooling clear juice ; but when the 

 plant is old, the juice is milky and bitter. The leaf-stalks are eaten 

 raw with oil, mustard, pepper, salt and vinegar, and also stewed and 

 in soups; an agreeable conserve is made also of the blanched stalks. 

 The roots of the celeriac (the turnip-rooted), are used for soups and sa- 

 lads. The seeds contain a fine aromatic scent and taste, and are used 

 as a substitute, in soups. 



Celery has come into general use within 30 or 40 years. The up- 

 right kinds arc distinguished as the red and white, with solid or hollow 

 stems. The red is most hardy and coarse ; but is good for stews and 

 soups. The unblanched leaves are eaten in soups by the Italians. 

 There are various modes of cultivating it, the most common being 

 to select a deep, rich, rather moist soil, or vegetable mould. The 

 seed is sown in April, on a bed ; and, in 8 or 10 weeks, transplant 

 into nursery beds; and when 10 or 12 inches high, into manured 

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