396 On Rheum palmatum as a Culinary Rhubarb. 



ters than to believe them capable of such a thing, at any 

 time, and more especially in times like the present. How 

 many societies would not be entitled to the bounty of govern- 

 ment, before that bounty was conferred on one which has the 

 refinement of luxury for its chief object ? 



These remarks, Mr. Conductor, are made in the hope that 

 they will reach some of those members of the Society, who, 

 like myself, wish to have it established on such a footing as 

 that it may remain a permanent and useful institution ; but 

 who, unlike me, have influence and leisure to devote to the 

 subject. 



I am a sincere well-wisher to the Society, and 



A Friend to Discussion. 

 August, 1826. 



Art. XII. Hints on the Superiority of the Rheum palmatum 

 over the other Species of Rheum cultivated for Culinary Pur- 

 poses. By Anthony Todd Thomson, Esq. M.D. F.L.S. 

 H.S. &c. 



Dear Sir, 

 It is a fact well known to you, that although the use of the 

 footstalk of several species of rhubarb for the purposes of 

 confectionery be of recent date, yet it has become so general, 

 that many waggon loads of the plant are annually sent to 

 Covent Garden market, not only by the individual who intro- 

 duced the use of it, but by many other market gardeners. On 

 making enquiry respecting the species of Rheum commonly 

 cultivated for this purpose, I find that it is the undulatum, and 

 that the reason why the other species are not equally in re- 

 quest, is owing to the greater productiveness of the undulatum. 

 Now although, in the present state of the case, this may be 

 an excellent reason with the market gardeners for cultivating 

 the undulatum only, yet, if the public be made aware that the 

 leaf-stalks of other species of rhubarb are better fitted for the 

 purposes to which the plant, in this state, is applied, than those 

 of the undulatum, I am satisfied that it would be for the 

 interest of the cultivators to regard the quality of the article 

 rather than the bulk of the produce. I have tried the foot- 

 stalks of almost every species of rhubarb now cultivated in 

 Great Britain, and find that those of the palmatum, or officinal 

 rhubarb, are superior to those of all the others for making 

 tarts. They are more succulent, less fibrous, and contain a 



