172 



CULINARY OR KITCHEN GARDEN. 



and mustard. Its culture for this purpose is 

 the same as these. It is the Navette of the 

 French; Mapo salvatico of the Italians ; and the 

 Eapskohl of the Germans. 



Corn^salad {Yalerianella olitoria Deo.) be- 

 longs to the natural order Valerianeae, and to 

 the class Triandria monogynia in the LinnEean 

 arrangement. The generic name is a diminutive 

 of Valerian. Indigenous to Britain. Another 

 species is cultivated — viz., V. eriocarpa, or Italian 

 corn-salad, of much larger growth. 



Both are used as a substitute for lettuce in 

 spring. The latter sort, besides being used for 

 salads, is also used when grown in rich soil and 

 of considerable size, as a substitute for spinach. 

 They are both much used on the Continent, 

 where they appear under the names of Salade 

 de chanoine, Mache, Poule grasse, Doucette, 

 &o. Sow in August and September for winter 

 and spring use, and in February and March for 

 Bummer supply. The seed is small. Sow them, 

 and cover about the eighth of an inch. An 

 ounce of seed will be sufScient for an ordinary 

 family. 



Brook - lime ( Veronica Beccahunga L.) be- 

 longs to the natural order Serophularinse, and 

 class Diandria and order Monogynia in the Lin- 

 nsean arrangement. The derivation of the name 

 is doubtful. Indigenous to most parts of Bri- 

 tain, growing in ditches and streams often along 

 with water-cresses, and is used for the same 

 purposes, and cultivated in the same manner. 



Wood sorrel {Oxalis acetosella L.) belongs 

 to the natural order Oxalidese, and to the class 

 Decandria and order Pentagynia in the Linnsean 

 arrangement. The generic name is derived from 

 Oxys, acid — from the acid taste of the leaves. In- 

 digenous to most parts of Britain, existing in vast 

 quantities in moist woods. It is used as an in- 

 gredient in spring salads ; and, although quite 

 capable of cultivation, it is found so plentifully 

 in April and May, in a natural state, as to render 

 its culture scarcely profitable. It is much used 

 on the Continent, and is the Oseille of the 

 French, Acetosa of the Italians, and Saueramp- 

 fer of the Germans. 



Coriander {Coriandrum sativum L.) belongs 

 to the natural order Umbelliferse, and to the 

 class Pentandria and order Digynia in the Lin- 

 nsean arrangement. The generic name is de- 

 rived from Koris, a bug, from the smell of the 

 leaves. A native of England, in corn-fields. It 

 is chiefly cultivated in gardens on account of 

 the tender young leaves, which are used in 

 soups and salads. It is raised by seed sown 

 annually — in February and March for summer 

 use, and again in August or September for win- 

 ter supply. A very few plants are sufficient for 

 an ordinary garden. 



General remarks. — It delights in a light sandy 

 soil. The plants should stand 18 inches apart. 

 European names — Koriander, German and 

 Dutch ; Coriandre in French ; and Coriandro 

 in Italian. 



§ 11. — THE RADISH. 



Natural history. — Badish (Raphanus satixus L.) 

 belongs to the natural order Cruciferse, sub-order 

 Orthoplocese, and tribe Raphanea;, and to the class 

 Tetradynamia and order Siliculosse. The generic 

 name is derived from Rha, quickly; Phainomai, 

 to appear, from its rapid germination. The name 

 radish is supposed by Phillips to come from 

 Radix, a root. The cultivated radish is thought 

 to be a native of China, but it appears, by the 

 writings of ancient naturalists, that its culture 

 is of great antiquity in many parts of Europe, 

 although it was not grown in England prior to 

 1548. They were very highly esteemed by the 

 Greeks, and were grown largely in Egypt in the 

 days of the Pharaohs, for the abundance of oil 

 their seeds afforded ; they are still grown to a 

 great extent in that country at the present day. 

 Pliny speaks of a turnip-rooted kind, and of a 

 sweet and tender sort, and of one that con- 

 tinued good throughout the winter. Gerard 

 cultivated four kinds of radishes in Queen Eliza- 

 beth's time. 



Uses.— In the south of France the roots are 

 roasted in wood-ashes ; they are also used there 

 in soups, to which they give an agreeable fla- 

 vour. The Roman physicians recommended 

 them to be eaten raw in a morning with salt, 

 and before taking any other food, a practice 

 in use in some parts of England at present. 

 Radishes abound in a penetrating nitrous juice, 

 which makes them diuretic, and cleansing to the 

 intestines and viscera. They are considered 

 also as excellent antiscorbutics. At present 

 they are usually eaten raw with salt as a salad, 

 with butter and cheese. The leaves are some- 

 times boiled as greens, and the roots make 

 an excellent dish, when rather too large for a 

 salad, by being boiled and served to table as 

 asparagus. Neither the roots nor leaves, how- 

 ever, afford much nourishment. The roots are 

 often sliced and added to mixed salads, and are 

 occasionally eaten alone with salt, vinegar, and 

 other condiments. The young leaves are also 

 eaten along with mustard and cress, and for 

 this purpose the seed is often sown in the same 

 manner as they are. The seed-pods, when 

 nearly full-grown, but still green and tender, 

 are added to mixed pickles, and pickled alone 

 as a substitute for capers. 



Propagation. — The radish, being an 

 annual, is propagated from seed. 



Sowing. — As this salad is in request 

 throughout the year, successional sowings 

 must be attended to. Where there is 

 the accommodation of a tanked pit or 

 dung-heated pits or frames, a sowing for 

 winter supply should be made every ten 

 days from the beginning of November to 

 the beginning of March. Where such 

 conveniences do not exist, then for win- 

 ter use a sowing should be made at the 

 end of October, another about the middle 

 of November, one at the end of that 

 month, and others twice during Decem- 



