116 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



but are much larger." The Chinese, says this 

 author, " make a hole through the roots, and 

 hang them up in the shade, where the sun 

 may not shine upon them ; for the sunbeams 

 extract their virtues from them. From hence, 

 and from Suchue, comes all the rhubarb which 

 is brought into Europe by sea, or through 

 the kingdoms of Cascar, Tebet, Mugor, and 

 Persia;" and those, says he, are ignorant, that 

 will have rhubarb grow in those parts; where- 

 as, in truth, we only receive it from thence, 

 but they purchase it from the Chinese." 



This plant did not escape the notice and 

 observation of our own herbalist. Gerard 

 writes on its qualities in the year 1597, and 

 says, " It is commonly called in Latin Rha 

 Barbarum, or Rha Barbaricum ; but the Moores 

 and Arabians do more truly name it Raued 

 Se?ii, d Sinensi prouincia ; from whence it 

 is brought into Persia and Arabia, and after- 

 wards into Europe, and likewise from Tan- 

 guth, through the lande of Cataia, into the 

 lande of the Persians, whereof the Sophie is 

 the ruler ; and from thence into Egypt, and 

 afterwards into Europe. It is called of the 

 Arabians and the people of China, and the 

 parts adjacent, Rauend Cini, Raued Seni, 

 and Raued Sceni : in English Rubarbe and 



