CLASS III. SALADS, PICKLES, HERBS, ETC. 375 



warm situation, and water occasionally. Finally, thin the plants to 

 four inches asunder. 



76. RAPE. Brassica napus. 



A hardy biennial plant, valuable for greens early and late in 

 spring. It is used, mixed with mustard and cress or peppergrass, 

 as salad. The seeds produce a fine oil. Sow from April to June. 



77. RHUBARB. Rheum undulatum. 



A hardy perennial plant, a native of Asia. The leaves are very 

 broad, and two feet long. Their petioles or stalks are large, and 

 these only are used. They are agreeably acid and vinous, very 

 wholesome, and much admired, whether stewed alone with sugar, 

 for tarts and puddings or pies, or combined with other fruits. Its 

 use with us is fast increasing, and although its introduction to the 

 London market did not take place, it is said, till 1815, yet now, we 

 are told, a thousand cartloads are there annually sold. 



Rhubarb Wine. The leaf-stalks of green-colored rhubarb, being 

 cut in pieces as for tarts, and bruised with a mallet, to extract the 

 juice, will make a delicious wine, quite equal to green gooseberry 

 wine, and very closely resembling Champagne. Of the red rhu- 

 barb a fine red wine is made. 



Rhubarb Jam and Jelly. A superior jam, or jelly, is thus made 

 from the tender leaf-stalks of rhubarb, equal or superior to that from 

 currants, and of excellent flavor. To one pound of the stalks cut as 

 for tarts ; add one pound of loaf or brown sugar ; boil till the ingredi- 

 ents acquire a proper consistence. Unground ginger and lemon peel 

 added to the jelly have been found a decided improvement. Buck's 

 Early Scarlet rhubarb has a preference in point of color, which is 

 beautiful red ; it is also of fine flavor, though not, perhaps, superior, in 

 this respect, to other varieties. Rhubarb will answer for jelly three 

 months before the currant is ripe. An excellent preserve is also 

 made of rhubarb. For this purpose the stalks are cut into inch 

 pieces, and preserved in the usual way, with sugar. 



VARIETIES. 



1. BUCK'S NEW EARLY SCARLET RIU.'BARB. A new and beau- 

 tiful variety, and very early. The stalks and the juice are of a 

 beautiful red color, and quite as high-colored as the juice of red 

 currants, and of excellent flavor. Fit for use, in our climate, in 

 April. 



2. TOBOLSK. A new and very superior variety ; the earliest of 

 all the early, not excepting, perhaps, Buck's Early Scarlet. The 

 stalks are of a beautiful pink color, and of excellent flavor. Origin- 

 ated in England by Mr. Youle, and fit for use here in April. 



3. DULLEY'S GOLIAH. A new variety, which grows to a very 

 large size. 



4. DULLEY'S ADMIRAL. A variety of a still more recent date, and 

 lemarkably large. 



5. ELFORT RHUBARB. (Var. Undulata.) 



6. GIANT RHUBARB. A new and large species. 



