CROUCIFERA. Pay, 
vultivated ground and in waste places. Rather more frequent in 
England than B. alba, but certainly less so in Scotland, where the 
Friths of Forth and Clyde appear to be its northern limit. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Annual. Summer, Autumn. 
Stem 1 to 4 feet high, stiffer and less succulent than in B. 
Sinapistrum and alba, with numerous spreading branches in the 
upper part. Lowest leaves distinctly lyrate, with a very large 
sinuated terminal lobe; intermediate ones deeply sinuated, and the 
uppermost of all quite entire and very narrow. Flowers sub- 
corymbose, about + inch across, very bright yellow. Pedicels 
shorter than the calyx when in flower, and about twice as long as 
one of the beads of the pod in fruit. Pod 3 to $ inch long; valves 
strongly keeled, attenuated towards the apex, so that without 
examination it might be supposed that the beak commenced at a 
lower point than it actually does; the beak is about } inch long, 
rather more slender than the peduncle, and tapers slightly and 
gradually to the apex; it never contains a seed. The seeds are 
about half the size of those of B. alba, and more distinctly 
punctured. Piant dark green, more or less hispid, especially in the 
lower parts. 
Sinapis incana of Linnzeus is considered by many botanists to 
be a hispid variety of this species, although the greater number of 
auchors have referred it to the following one. 
Black Mustard. 
French, Moutarde Noire. German, Schwarzer Senf. 
A whimsical history is attached to the etymology of this plant, which is given by 
Dr. Withering, and may be quoted here : “ In 1382 Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, 
granted to the town of Dijon armorial ensigns with the motto ‘ Moult me tarde’ (in old 
French, ‘I long or wish ardently’), which being sculptured over the principal gate, by some 
accident the middle word became effaced. The merchant dealers in Sinapi, intending 
to ensign their pots with labels of the city arms, copied the imperfect motto as it then 
remained ‘ Moult tarde, and hence the name which this Sinapi composition retains to this 
day.” The Black Mustard is found wild in the same situations as the white kind. As 
a remedy in medicine the seeds have been used from a very early date by the Greek 
physicians. It was held in such repute by that nation, that they attributed the dis- 
covery of its virtues to Esculapius. When it was first used as a condiment does not 
appear, but some authors say it was in use in England among the Saxons. Tusser 
alludes to its domestic use and garden cultivation in the sixteenth century :-— 
“Maids Mustard seed gather for being too ripe, 
And weather it well yer ye give it a stripe; 
Then dress it and lay it in soller up sweet, 
Least foistiness make it for table unmeet.” 
The process of grinding the seed appears to have been a recent invention. Our 
faithful friend Gerarde says ; “ The seed of Mustard pound with vinegar is an excellent 
