CABBAGE PALM. 221 



ered with fermented manure, and larger ones, or barrels substi- 

 tuted when the plants are too large. They are covered nights, if cold 

 or unfavorable, with mats. Covering the roots 6 inches thick may 

 alone suffice to bring them 2 weeks forward of those in open ground. 

 Plants of ] or 2 years old are used for forcing in pots, which are sup- 

 plied with water and placed in the hot-house, or vinery; and, when 

 the plants have done yielding stalks, they are placed out in rich 

 ground, and taken up again the next year for the same treatment. Hot- 

 beds, frames, or pits, will do well for forcing this plant. The advan- 

 tages of blanching it are the improvement of its flavor and appearance, 

 and the saving of sugar in its preparation. 



The true Rhubarb is grown principally in China, from whence it is 

 much exported by Jews and Turks, who monopolize most of the trade. 

 The R. palmatum approaches nearest to the China plant, and this is 

 mostly used in medicine. Of this and the medicinal uses of Rhubarb 

 generally, we shall speak at length hereafter. There are 10 varieties 

 in use, but 6 kinds only are generally known, viz. Russian, Dutch- 

 Trimmed, Chinese, Himalayan, French and English. The Turkey 

 Rhubarb is imported from Russia ; not from Turkey, as its name im- 

 plies. It is supplied by merchants from a frontier town of China 

 in exchange for furs, and is collected on the mountains of Tartary. 

 38,948 Ibs. were imported into G. Britain in 1840. 



Rhubarb is composed of bitter principle 14-375, yellow coloring mat- 

 ter 9-166, astringent extractive 16-458, mucillage 8-333, extract by pot- 

 ash ley 30-416, woody fibre 15-416, with several acids, salts of lime 

 and potash, with water, gum, &c., the nature and effects of which 

 will be explained in the next volume. 



CABBAGE PALM, C. 21. O. 7. dreca aleracea is a large tree, 

 7 feet in circumference, of the West Indies. The stem is hard and 

 is divided into short joints, and runs naked to the top, with a pith in its 

 centre like that of the elder. Its leaflets are 3 feet in length, taper- 

 ing to a point, and decreasing in size as they extend to the ends of the 

 branches, presenting a very beautiful appearance waving in the wind. 

 Its seeds are in small oval nuts hanging from the centre of the branches 

 like a bunch of grapes. At the top of the tree, within the leaves, is con- 

 cealed the cabbage. This is cylindrical, 2 or 3 feet long, and 3 or 4 

 inches thick. It is composed of compact scales like ribbons, forming 

 a crisp and hard substance. In flavor it resembles the almond, and is 

 yet more tender and delicious. It is commonly eaten like the cauli- 

 flower, cut in pieces, and fried or boiled with meat, or raw with pep- 

 per and vinegar, like cabbage-slaw. To procure this delicacy the 

 whole tree is cut down. A black beetle is found in the cavity from 

 which the cabbage is removed, where it deposits its spawn, forming 

 the grubs called the palm tree.-worms, which are eaten as a great deli- 

 cacy. They are of a yellow color, with a black head, of the size and 

 19* 



