204 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES, 



SAMPHIRE. -CRITHMUM. 



Natural order, Umbelliferce. A genus of the 

 V entandria Digynia class. 



The generic name is derived from the 

 Greek Kp/6^oy, or K^Ba/^. 



The Dutch considered this plant to be a 

 marine fennel, as did also the Italians, who 

 called it Fenocchio marino, and Herba di San 

 Pietro, that is, St. Peter's grass, which name 

 was abbreviated into Sampetra, next cor- 

 rupted into Sampier, and now spelt, in Eng- 

 lish, Samphire. 



To prove this marine vegetable indigenous 

 to Albion's cliffs, and that it was a dainty 

 sought after with extreme danger, we have 

 only to extract a few lines from our immortal 

 bard, 



" How fearful 



And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low! 

 The crows and choughs that wing the midway air, 

 Shew scarce so gross as beetles : halfway down 

 Hangs one that gathers samphire; dreadful trade ! 

 Methinks he seems no bigger than his head." 



