13 



CRUCIFEBAE. 



Cheiranthus Cheiri. Wall Flower, luf An t>Al\,& ; Utf te&t 

 An cSArhftAi'O. 

 The flowers were used (a) steeped in oil as an anodyne and 

 stimulating liniment, (b) As an infusion (one oz. to one 

 pint of water) for nervous troubles. The flowers con- 

 tain eugenic acid and caryophyllin. 



THE CRESSES. 



Nasturtium Officinale. Watercress. DioLa^ ; t>iofAf\. 



Nasturtium Sylvestre. Woodcress. tholAjv CoiUeA-6. 



Nasturtium Palustre. Marshcress. thotAf Cufifung. 



Nasturtium Amphibium. Water Radish. 1T1e.dc.An ^agium 

 tiifce. 



Barbara vulgaris "") 



„ intermedia > Winter Cress. CjveAtiAc. 

 ,, praecox J 



Arabis petraea "1 



„ hirsuta > Rock Cress. gAf An CaiIXij (n<s CAiUige ?)- 

 „ cihata J 



Cardamine Amara. Bitter Cress. t)iolAfi SeA^ti. 

 See Cardamine Pratensis below. 



All the Cresses possess antiscorbutic properties and were 

 in great favour in the complaints scurvy and scrofula. 

 They contain potash and calcium salts, iodine and the 

 valuable sulphocyanide of allyl, as well as iron. The 

 cultivated varieties of Nasturtium were introduced 

 from France into Ireland, as is indicated by the names 

 given to those herbs. The garden cress was known as 

 5a1X oiolAft and t)iolAf\ Saivoa, and the " town " cress, 

 as t)iotAt\ £t* anntAC, " town " being an English cor- 

 ruption for the French tonne, or enclosure. The Cress- 

 has lost favour in the Ireland of to-day owing to the 

 introduction of the other varieties of vegetables. The 

 Nasturtium is still used as a table decoration for the 

 blanc mange made from Carrageen Moss ; a sprig or 

 flower being used much as the holly is in the Christmas, 

 pudding. The combination of the Nasturtium with 

 Carrageen Moss is certainly excellent from the scientific 

 view point. No better article could be placed in the 



