London to John O 1 Groat's. 145 



of that root of roots, in value to mankind ; has ever 

 conceived what a tasteless, contracted, water-soaked 

 thing it was in its wild and original condition. Let 

 them read a few chapters of the early history of New 

 England, and they will see what it was, two hundred 

 and fifty years ago, when the strong-hearted men and 

 women, whom Hooker led to the banks of the Connec- 

 ticut, sought for it in the white woods of winter, 

 scraping away the snow with their frosted fingers. The 

 largest they found just equalled the Malaga grape in 

 size and resembled it in complexion. They called it 

 the ground-nut, for it seemed akin to the nuts dropped 

 by the oaks of different names. No flower that breathes 

 on earth has been made to produce so many varieties of 

 form, complexion and name as this homely root. It 

 would be an interesting and instructive enterprise, to 

 array all the varieties of this queen of esculent vegeta- 

 bles which Europe and America could exhibit, face to 

 face with all the varieties which the dahlia, geranium, 

 panza, or even the fern has produced, and then see 

 which has been numerically the most prolific in diversi- 

 fication of forms and features. It should gratify a 

 better motive than curiosity to trace back the history of 

 other roots to their aboriginal condition. Types of the 

 original stock may now be found, in waste places, in 

 the wild turnip, wild carrot, parsnip, &c. "Line upon 



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