16 COMMON MALLOW. 



This common species is cultivated in gardens 

 in Rosetta, and, boiled with meat, is one 

 of the most common dishes of Lower Egypt. 

 The patriarch Job speaks of the destitute 

 persons who cut up jMallows by the root ; and 

 though w^e know not exactly the plant in- 

 tended, yet we know that in Arabia, and other 

 Eastern lands. Mallows are much eaten by 

 the poor. Our common Mallow has a smaller 

 quantity of mucilage than the plant of our 

 sea-shores, called the Marsh Mallow. This, 

 however, belongs to the genus termed by the 

 botanist Althaea. 



Besides the common, we have the Dwarf 

 and Musk ]\Iallows. The latter is a tall 

 flower, with large handsome rose-coloured 

 blossoms, which, as well as the foliage, are 

 fragrant in the evening. It is very abundant 

 on many pasture-lands of our country : but in 

 some places very rare. The Dwarf Mallow is 

 a more frequent kind, and may be easily 

 known by its roundish leaves, and small pale 

 lilac flowers. These plants bloom from June 

 to September. 



