WATER-CRESS. .J7 1 



to counteract the cold nature of that salad. 

 The name of Nasturtium alludes to its warm 

 stimulating qualities, which were thought to 

 put life into dull and stupid persons, and to 

 brighten the understanding of those who ate 

 of it, and which gave rise to the Greek pro- 

 verb, Kdo^ccfJLQf e&he, " eat cress, and learn 

 more wit." 



Xenophon strongly recommended the Per- 

 sians to feed their children with water- 

 cresses, which, he said, would cause them to 

 grow of better stature, and of more active 

 habits. 



The Romans recommended cress to be 

 eaten with vinegar, as a remedy for those 

 whose minds were deranged. Pliny men- 

 tions the Babylonian cress as being the best, 

 and the Arabian as the largest. He dwells 

 much on the medical virtues of this plant.* 



Dodoens recommends water-cresses, as a 

 diuretic that relieves the stone and gravel ; 

 and the best vegetable that can betaken by 

 those who are troubled with the strangury. 

 This physician observes, that the sweetest 

 milk, and the best butter, are produced from 

 cows that feed in pastures abounding with the 

 wild cress Cardamine, meadow-cress, cuckoo- 

 flower, or lady's smock. 



* Book xx. chap. 13. 

 2 b 2 



