CAY ANNE PEPl-KR. 



491 



cultivated in England until 1759. This species 

 is very similar in appearance to the first, and is 

 only characterised by the different shape of the 

 pods, which take somewhat the form of a cherry; 

 sometimes heart-shaped, bell-shaped, or angular; 

 their colour is the same as the preceding. Both 

 these species are annuals. 



The Bell Pepper (eapsicum grossttmj, is a 

 biennial, a native of India; it produces larger 

 pods than either of the others. It may be trans- 

 planted with safety in the open garden, on the 

 arrival of summer, requiring a place in the atove 

 during the winter season. 



The green pods of all those varieties are used 

 for pickling; those of the last are generally pre- 

 ferred, being not only larger, but having the 

 skin more pulpy and tender. 



Cayannb Pepper fc. haccatum), commonly 

 called bird pepper, is gathered when ripe, dried 

 in the sun, pounded and mixed with salt; it 

 is then kept stopt in bottles, and is known under 

 the name of cayanne. There are many other 

 species of this genus, differing from each other 

 in bearing fruit of various size, shape, and 

 colour; but they all have, in a certain degree, 

 the same pungent qualities; the smallest possess- 

 ing them with the greatest intensity. They are 

 natives of most of tixe tropical regions, but are 

 most abundant, and most used in the western 

 hemisphere. In the West Indies, and in some 

 parts of South America, they fonn, either in 

 substance or in powder, an ingredient to almost 

 every dish. 



A mixture of sliced cucumbers, shallots, or 

 onions, cut very small, a little lime juice, and 

 Madeira wine, with a few pods of bird pepper 

 well mashed, and mixed with the liquor, is 

 reckoned an unfailing stimulant to the appetite 

 in the West Indies, and is called man-dram. 



TuK Capek (capparis spiiv>sa); polyandria, 

 monogynia, of Linnieus, is a native of Italy and 



I8«. 



Cnper Plant. 



Sicily. It was introduced into this country as 

 nn exotic so early as 1.596. Modern liorticul- 

 turists are of opinion that with care it might be 

 raised in the open air in England, but this has 

 never yet been accomplished to any useful extent. 

 One instance, indeed, is recorded liy Neil], of a 



caper tree standing alive in the open air for 

 nearly a century; this was in the garden at 

 Campden House, Kensington. This plant was 

 sheltered from the north, and remained uncovered 

 during winter. It was generally much injured 

 by frost; but the roots being particularly strong 

 and vivacious, it sent out strong shoots, and 

 produced flower buds every year. In France 

 the caper tree has been long naturalized, being 

 cultivated in the vicinity of Paris with no other 

 shelter than a low wall, against which it is 

 trained; in winter, the shoots are laid down, and 

 covered with litter or fern. Near Toulon it is 

 not trained in this manner, but overspreads the 

 ground in the manner of brambles. It is a 

 trailing shrub, and in the southern parts of 

 Europe, where it is found native, grows very 

 abundantly out of the joints of old walls, the 

 fissures of rocks, and amongst ruins. The stem 

 is ligneous, sending out many lateral branches; 

 the shoots rise two or three feet, and then become 

 procumbent. From under each of the branches 

 proceed two crooked spines; immediately above 

 these the petioles of the kidney-shaped leaves 

 are produced. White flowers, growing on long 

 peduncles, would, if allowed to remain, bloom 

 through the summer; but before they expand, 

 their buds, with the empalements, are plucked 

 and used for pickling. A large quantity of these, 

 which form a well known pickle, is annually 

 imported into England, from Italy and ports in 

 the Mediterranean. 



Indian Ckess or Nasturtium (tropcoliim majm 

 and minus.) Octandria, monogt/nia, of Linnfeus. 

 This plant is a native of Parma, where it is a 

 hardy perennial. In this country, though it 

 thrives well in the open air, it only lasts for one 

 season, being unable to endure the cold of win- 

 ter. 



There are two species, the small and large nas- 

 turtium, the latter of which is the hardiest, and 

 that usually cultivated. They will thrive in 

 almost any soil, but prefer a light fresh loam ; as 

 the plant is a creeper, it requires to be trained to 

 a fence, wall, or trellice. The seeds are employed 

 as a pickle, and are used as a substitute for 

 capers, many preferring them to that seed. The 

 flowers and under leaves are also eaten as sal- 

 lads. Tliere is a variety with double flowers, 

 which is propagated by cuttings. The daughter 

 of the celebrated Linnaeus observed, that in the 

 evening these flowers emit spontaneously at cer- 

 tain intervals visible electric sparks. 



This plant was introduced into Britain in 

 1(580, and is very commonly cultivated in gar- 

 dens, both for show and use. 



The Labiate, a natural fiimily of plants which 

 are found chiefly in the temperate regions of the 

 globe, is remarkable for containing numerous 

 genera possessing an aromatic odour and pun- 

 gent flavour. They owe tJiis quality to the 



