28 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



From the Massachusetts A=:ricultural Rtpository for 

 June, 1R24. 



Notice respecting several vegetahJes. used as escu- 

 lents, {or fonrl,) in JVorth America, in a Idler 

 to Richard Anthony Salisbun/, Esq. F.R. S.,^'C. 

 by M. Joseph Corrca de Serra, F. R. S., 4'C. 

 — 1821. 



This article, which has never api)eared, po 

 far as we know, in any American work, was 

 published in the London Horticultural Trans- 

 actions. There are various and powerful rea- 

 sons, why we should do ourselves honour, and 

 render a just tribute to the enlightened author 

 by republishing it. Mr. Correa de Serra select- 

 ed this country as an asylum during the convul- 

 sions to which his native country, Portugal, 

 was exposed. He finally enjoyed the honour 

 of representing Portugal at the American court, 

 as its Minister. His various and extensive 

 knowledge, particularly his profound acquain- 

 Jance with natural history is known to every 

 man of reading in our country. He enjoyed I he 

 friendship and confidence of most of the distin- 

 guished characters in this country, and it would 

 not be extravagant to say, that no foreigner 

 ever visited our shores, who possessed a mind 

 more enlarged, or better cultivated. He devot- 

 ed much of his time to the study of the plants 

 and natural productions of the United Slates, 

 and it would not be more than just praise to 

 say that he contributed as much as any man to 

 the encouragement of a taste for natural hi^torv. 

 now assuming something like its due share of 

 importance in our country. We owe it there- 

 fore to his memory to put upon our printed 

 records this memorial of one of the most ac- 

 complished scholars, whom we have had the 

 happiness to welcome in our country. 



Although the subject is an American one, 

 and therefore it might be supposed familiar 

 to us, yet our country is so vast in extent, thai 

 it is probable many of the facts will be as ne\v 

 tt) a great portion of cur population as they 

 were to (he Europeans. 



The paper bereinafler published was read 

 to the London Horticultural Sociotv, July 17, 

 1821. It was addressed to one of the Tostees 

 of that Board. 



"Dear Sm — It is imponsihle to foresee the 

 full extent of happy consequences which may 

 result from the labours of the Horticultural 

 Society. It is \Ue first attempt, that I know nf, 

 towards a confederation of science and practice 

 directed to raise Horticulture above the slate 

 of an Empiric art, such as it has been hereto- 

 fore. Now the encreasing capital of botanical 

 knowledge will furnish new objects, on which 

 to try the proceedings of rullivalion, and the 

 daily progress of vegetable physiology will no 

 doubt direct these proceedings by clearer and 

 safei' principles, extending their application to 

 almost every plant which naturo has made (it 

 for the food of man. 



"I v^ish this examp'e f-rrt given bv v"<ir 

 glorious Island [It must he known, that M. Cor- 

 rea de Serra was not British in bis feelings, but 

 highly republican] may be followed by all other 

 civilized nations, and propagate the taste for 

 such enlightened pursuits, which add to the 

 comforts and pleasures of mankind, vnuccoin- 

 panied 7vith any connterbalancinif evil. If in fu- 

 ture 1 enjoy suincient leisure, l will try to con- 



cur, myself, in an undertaking so analogous to 

 my way of thinkino- and feeling. 



" For the present I venture to offer you the 

 enumeration of :i few plants, not yet cultivated 

 in Europe, which my long residence in North 

 America suggests to my recollection. You may 

 present it to the Society, if you think it in any 

 wise deserving of that honour. 



" 1st. The young shoots of (he Phytolacca 

 deiandra, (see Botanical magazine page 9.S1) 

 which the .Americans call ' poke' are brought 

 in quanlilies to the Philadelphia market earlv 

 in the season. They are eaten as a substitute 

 for asparagus which they resemble in taste. 

 The plant reqtiires no cullivalion and if it were 

 treated, as you treat the Crambe maritima(Sea 

 Kale) the tasle of the sprouts would scarcely 

 be distinguished from the real Asparagus. 



[This information is entirely new to us, though 

 we live only three days ride ftom Philadelphia. 

 The Phytolacca decandra is very common by 

 our road sides in the interior, though rather 

 rare near Boston. Dr. Risrelow gives to it be- 

 I side the popular name of Poke, (hat of' Cocum.' 

 It might easily be introduced into our grounds. 

 Medicinal properties are a«cribed lo its root, 

 but this should be no objeclion to its culture, 

 as the same is true of the Rhubarb, now in so 

 general use. It is at least well to know, that 

 our neighbours in Pennsylvania use this plant 

 in large quantities, as an Esculent.] 



" 2d. The Americans, sedleil on (he Washita 

 river, and in the Arkansaw Territory, as well 

 as the travellers who iiave visited those coun- 

 tries, speak in (ernis of commendation, of a 

 si>ecies of Wild Cab' nee, which grows wild in 

 \hrKc coun(ri('s, and which bears red flowers. 

 MuhleTd)erg, the famotijt American botanist, in 

 his catalogue of American plants, (page 61), 

 has given to it (he name of Brassica Whashitana. 

 I wish the Sociely would attempt the introduc- 

 tion and civ{li:yalion of this plant. From the 

 eOi'cts [iroduced by cultivation in other parts 

 of this family, we may expect, in a short pe- 

 riod, a number of varieties, and some of them 

 probably very valuable. 



[Shall we suffer the Europeans (as they have 

 of(en done,) to precede us in the cuUivalion of 

 our oivn native plants, and to send them back 

 to us in a highly improved state and sometimes 

 even as novelties ? It does not seem to us to 

 comport with the high stand which wo are 

 aiming to take in all the arts. Lot us shev.' 

 what we can make of our own native produc- 

 tions and not receive them improved by the 

 culture and skill of others.] 



" 3d. The Capsella bursa paslorls, or common i 

 Shepherd's j)urse (Thlaspi liiisa pasioris, Eng- 

 lish botany 1435) is an esculent plant in Phila- 

 delphia, broitght to market in laig.'^ quantities 

 in the early season. The taste, when boiled, 

 approaches (hat of the cabbage, but softer and 

 milder. This plant varies wondsrfully in size 

 and succulance of leaves according to the na- 

 ture and stats of the soil where it grows. 

 Those from the gardens and highly cultivated 

 spots near Philadelphia come to a size and suc- 

 culence of leaf scarcely to be believed without 

 seeing them. They may be easily bloached ''v 

 (he common me(hods and ceitainly in that state 

 would be a valuable addition to the list of deli- 

 i"a(e culinary veg"e(ables. 



[Note. This plant is very ab-mdant in all 

 the gardens in the vicinity of Boston. If instead 



of extirpating it early, (for it is among (he ear- 

 liest ptants> we should cover it partially with 

 earth and Idaiirh it, it might afford a valuable 

 vegetable, coming in after the dandelion, and 

 before the asparagus.] 



" 4(h. The Hydrophylleum Virginicnm is 

 calleil by the Americans of the Western States, 

 Indian Sallad, or Shawanese Sallad, because the 

 Indians eat it as such while tender. Some of 

 the first selllers do the same. From havino- 

 tasted it once in Kentucky, I am of opinion that 

 this plant deserves a fair trial of ciiliivaliin. 

 (Few persons were better judges of \vhal is 

 palataljje than the Abbe de Correa.) 



" 5lh. The Apios luberosa. (Glycine A[>ios) 

 which grows ivild in many par(s of (l)e Uni(ed 

 States, produces on its roots a number of"(uber- 

 rosides of a good size, and verv good tasle. 



''The Indian and American settlers eat them 

 greedily when they find them, but never to my 

 knowledire have attempted to cuhivate them,tho' 

 in my opinion they deserve a place among our 

 culinary vegetables. I have not the least doubt 

 of their succeeding well in England. 



[This plant under the name of ground nut 

 was familiar to our forefathers in New-EnglanJ. 

 It is rather sing\ilar that we have not atlempled 

 the cullivalion of them. I have mot but with 

 one plant of them, and that I transplanted while 

 it was in flower, and lost it An ample com- 

 pensation will be given to any person who shall 

 liring lo the subscriber eilher (bis autumn, or 

 next spring, two or three dozen roots. I wish 

 to see, if cultivation and care will not enlarge 

 the tubers and iin()rnyc them — .Ioh.n Lovvel, 

 Roxbury.] 



" nth' and 7lh. The bulbs of the Quamash 



(Scilla esculenla) which Aii«o/makes a species 



of Plialangium. (Nutlal's Genera of North 



i American plants, page 219), with the tubers of 



the Psoralia esculenta (Pursh flora Americana 



Septenlrionalis, \^ol. II. page 476) are the usual 



vegetable food of many Indian tribes, and were 



; one of the sujiports of the peo[)le composing 



the .'Vmerican expedition through the continent 



;lo the Pacific Ocean under Captains Lewis and 



Clarke. Both these plants may probably prove 



vahiable acquisitions; at all events, (hey are fit 



subjects for the' inquiry of the Sociely. [We 



add, still mare proper subjects for the inquiry of 



an American Agricultural Society.] 



" 8th. The Indians about Colombia river 

 gather vast quantities of large tubers of an 

 aquatic plant, which, according to the late pro- 

 fessor Barton of Piiiladelphia, who had seen 

 dried specimens of it brought by Capt. Lewis, 

 is a species of Sagillaria. These tubers are an 

 imjiortant part of the diet of these tribes. 



" You may see in Oslieck's voyage (o Cliina, 

 that similar tubers from a species of Sagillaria 

 grew in the ualery places about Canton, and if 

 I <vell remember are purposely cultivated, turn- 

 ing to piofit those naturally unproductive spots. 

 "Would not this oliject be worthy of (he 

 Society? If perchance, indications of this na- 

 ture, directed chiefly to increase the number of 

 iisel'ul objects of cultivation meet the indulgence 

 nf the Society, I shall feel encouraged to con- 

 tinue this kind of communication. 

 I am, &c. S:c. 



JOSEPH CORREA DE SERRA." 



Note. Unhappily for science Ibis great natu- 

 ralist did not !iv2 lo ni:\ke any furthoi cc;nmu- 



