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SPINAGE or SPINACH.— SPINACIA. 



Natural order, Holoracece. A genus of the 

 Diozcia Pentandria class. 



This vegetable seems to have been un- 

 known to the ancients. It has by the mo- 

 derns been called Spinacia, from its spinous 

 seed, though there is a species of it, which 

 produces a smooth seed. 



The pronunciation of its name is nearly 

 the same in most of the European lan- 

 guages. In French, Epinarcls. In German, 

 Spinat. In Italian, Spinace. In Spanish, Es- 

 pinaca. In Arabic, Hispane. From this lat- 

 ter name, and as it was formerly often called 

 in this country Olus Hispanicum, it has been 

 thought to be a native of Spain. This hardy 

 annual plant was first cultivated in our gar- 

 dens about the year 1568; as Turner 

 says, in his Herbal, which was published in 

 that year, " Spinage, or Spinech, is an herb 

 lately found, and not long in vse;' and it is 

 still considered as a pot-herb of considerable 



VOL. II. Q 



