ACETARIACEOUS PLANTS.— PURSLANE, ka. 



171 



with the eye partly closed. The berries should 

 be gathered for use while quite green. Abun- 

 dance of seed will be found in a ripened state 

 when the plants are pulled up upon the first 

 attack of frost. They do not retain their vege- 

 tative powers above two years. Their European 

 names are — Capucine in French ; Mastruco do 

 Peru in Portuguese; Kapuzinerblume in Ger- 

 man ; Fior cappucino in Italian ; Spaanche kera 

 in Dutch ; and Capuchinas in Spanish. 



§ 9. — PURSLANE, CHERVIL, ETC. 



Purslane {Portulaca sativa Haw, P. saliva, 

 Var. Aurea Haw, and P. oleracea L. — all the 

 three are cultivated in our gardens) belongs to 

 the natural order Portulacese, and to the class 

 Dodecandria and order Monogyuia in the Lin- 

 nsean arrangement. The generic name is de- 

 rived from Porto to carry, Lac, milk, supposed 

 medical quality. P. satira is a native of South 

 America, introduced in 1652; while P. oleracea 

 is a native of Europe, introduced 1582. 



Its young shoots and leaves, which are very 

 fleshy or succulent, are used in summer salads, 

 and are sometimes used in French and Italian 

 soups, and also as pickles. Its existence is only 

 to be looked for in gardens of the highest order. 

 Being annuals, they are yearly reared from 

 seed. A quarter of an ounce will sow a bed of 

 32 square feet. For a first crop, sow in Feb- 

 ruary or March upon a gentle hot-bed, for all 

 the sorts are very tender, and this first crop 

 must have the protection of a frame and glass 

 lights. A two-light frame will be sufficient. 

 As the plants reach the height of 2 inches, thin 

 out to the distance of 4 inches apart; the 

 soil should be of such light and rich consis- 

 tency as that usually employed for cucumbers. 

 The second crop should be sown upon a warm 

 border in dry light soil in May, and successional 

 sowings should be made, if a constant supply is 

 demanded, every fortnight till the first week in 

 August, after which recourse must be had to 

 bottom-heat and the protection of glass cover- 

 ings. It is best to grow them where they have 

 been sown, but they may be transplanted in 

 cases of emergency. 



The shoots are fit for use when from 2 to 5 

 inches in length, and should then be cut off 

 with a knife and shghtly rinsed in clean water, 

 when they are fit for use. The European names 

 are — Pourpier in French; Porcellana in Italian; 

 and Portulak in Dutch and German. The seed 

 is not worth the trouble of saving. 



Chervil (Chcerophyllum sativum, Pers.) be- 

 longs to the natural order Umbelliferse, and to 

 the class Pentaudria and order Digynia in the 

 LinuEean arrangement. The generic name is 

 derived from 0/iairo, to rejoice ; Phyllon, leaf — 

 that is to say, a plant whose leaves have a plea- 

 sant smell. A native of several parts of Europe ; 

 by some considered indigenous to Britain. 



Gerard cultivated it in his garden ; and Par- 

 kinson says, " It is sown in gardens to serve as 

 a salad herb." These are the earliest notices we 

 have of its being cultivated iu Britain. Pliny 



tells us that the Syrians cultivated it as a food, 

 and they ate it both boiled and raw. It has 

 long been cultivated by the French and Dutch, 

 and they have still hardly a soup or salad but 

 the leaves of chervil make a part of the compo- 

 sition. 



The leaves are used in most salads and in 

 many soups, and as a seasoner it is by many pre- 

 ferred to parsley, when used for these purposes. 

 Being an annual, it is propagated by seed. 

 To maintain a constant supply, sow about the 

 beginning of February, and make successional 

 sowings every month till August, about the end 

 of which a larger sowing should be made in a 

 warm situation, to form a winter and early 

 spring supply. Some only sow in spring and 

 autumn, and trust to keeping the plants from 

 seeding ; this is, however, precarious. Sow in 

 drills 10 inches apart and 1 inch deep. Trans- 

 plant only in cases of emergency, unless it be 

 in saving seed of the fine-curled variety, which 

 will be improved in the fulness of its leaves, if 

 transplanted once or twice before it shoots up 

 for seed. An ounce of seed is sufficient to sow 

 24 square feet. It should be sown thin. A light 

 soil, not over-manured, is the best for aU odori- 

 ferous plants. 



When the leaves are 2 inches in height they 

 are fit for gathering; a small handful is suffi- 

 cient for a large salad. 



Plain, chervil is the most common, but except 

 that it is hardier than the curled varieties, it 

 should be discarded. 



Curled chervil. — This sort, on account of its 

 delicately-curled leaves, is much used for gar- 

 nishing, as well as for the ordinary purposes for 

 which the plain sort is used. Being a larger 

 grower, it requires more room for its develop- 

 ment; indeed, the plants, to have justice, should 

 stand a foot apart each way. When intended 

 for winter use it should have the protection of 

 hand-glasses, frames, or branches of trees stuck 

 thickly around and amongst it. In very un- 

 favourable situations it is well to pot a dozen or 

 two plants, and shelter them under glass during 

 winter. 



Frizsled-leaved French chervil (Cerfeuil frise) is 

 an improved variety of the last, even more 

 beautiful, but also more tender. It is best 

 adapted for summer crops. 



Few insects attack the odoriferous plants. 

 Seeds of all the varieties are easily saved. The 

 plants of the two last varieties should be trans- 

 planted once or twice when intended for this 

 purpose, and a somewhat richer soil will be of 

 advantage. The European names are — Cerfeuil 

 in French ; Cerfoglio in Italian ; and Garten- 

 kerbel in German and Dutch. 



§ 10.— RAPE, CORN-SALAD, ETC. 



Rape {Brassica napus L.) belongs to the 

 natural order Cruciferse, and to the class Tetra- 

 dynamia and order Siliquosse. For derivation 

 of the generic name, vide section Cabbage. In- 

 digenous to Britain. 



It is cut when quite young, and before the 

 second leaves are formed, and mixed with cress 



