MAY 93 



as runsli. The foliage is rough, and the flowers 

 large and yellow. The kind chiefly planted for 

 the table condiment, is the black, or common 

 mustard, (Si?wpis nigra,) which is also a wild 

 flower on waste places ; but the seeds of all the 

 species are hot ; and aff'ord, on expression, a 

 pungent oil ; or when dried, a stimulating 

 powder. Our word, mustard, and the French 

 word, moutarde, are corruptions of the words, 

 imistcm ardens, (hot must,) as the French pre- 

 pare the mustard used at their tables with the 

 sweet-must of new wine. 



All the plants which have cross-shaped 

 flowers, contain, in greater or less degree, the 

 acrid, volatile, oily principle, which is so abund- 

 ant in the mustard-seed, and the root of the 

 horseradish ; and is less perceptible in the 

 common wall-flower, or the water-cress. In all 

 cases, cruciferous plants may be eaten with 

 safety ; l)ut, in many instances, tlie acrid prin- 

 ciple must be reduced by culture, or by blanch- 

 ing, before they become palatal)le. When the 

 texture of a cruciferous plant is very succulent 

 and juicy, it is always eatable ; as in the case of 

 the common cabbage-leaf, and in the radish, or 

 turnip. 



The sight of any of our numerous wild 

 mustard plants will often suggest to the reader 

 of ScTij)ture the words of our Saviour, "The 

 kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard- 

 seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field : 

 which indeed is the least of all seeds ; but ,when 

 it is gro\ni, it is the greatest among herbs, and 



