CARAWAY. 127 



from the seed having been first brought from 

 Caria ; and from the Latin the other Euro- 

 pean names seem to have been derived. The 

 Italians call it Caro, the Spanish Caravea, 

 the French Carvi, the English Caruwaie, now 

 corrupted to Caraway. As it was used by 

 the Romans as a domestic spice, they, in all 

 probability, were the first who sowed it in 

 the British soil. Gerard takes no notice of 

 its growing wild in England, but says, it 

 grows abundantly in Germany and Bohemia, 

 in fat and fruitful fields. The people of 

 these countries are naturally fond of hot 

 spicy food, and therefore make great use of 

 this wholesome seed in bread, comfits, con- 

 fections, &c. &c. Ray says, this plant grows 

 wild in several places of Lincolnshire and 

 Yorkshire, but we presume that it is the re- 

 mains of former cultivation. 



It is one of the greater hot seeds, and is 

 esteemed stomachic, carminative, and diu- 

 retic ; it dispels wind, and strengthens diges- 

 tion ; is good for the dizziness in the head, 

 and weakness of sight. Our distillers use it 

 in forming a cordial spirit. When young, it 

 is an excellent salad herb. 



The seed-cake formed one of the rural 

 entertainments that the old English farmers 



