28 THE BOOK OF HERBS 



would have it thought (with many others) an Exotick." 

 He does not give the full Latin name, so one cannot tell 

 whether it is our Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) that he 

 means, or T. pratensis, the variety once more generally 

 cultivated. The latter seems the likeliest, as its yellow 

 flowers are far more common than the purple ones of 

 salsify. T. porrifolius is extremely rare in a wild state, 

 but T. pratensis grows in " medows and fertil pastures 

 in most parts of England." T. pratensis is never cultivated 

 now, and " Salsify " applies exclusively to Purple Goat's 

 Beard (T. porrifolium). The old herbalists praised it very 

 highly. 



Horse-Radish {Cochlearia Armor acia). 



Dr Fernie translates its botanical name, Cochlearia, from 

 the shape of the leaves, which resemble, he says, an old- 

 fashioned spoon ; ar, near ; mor, the sea, from its 

 favourite locality. " For the most part it is planted 

 in gardens . . . yet have I found it wilde in Sundrie 

 places ... in the field next unto a farme house leading 

 to King's land, where my very good friend Master 

 Bredivell, practitioner in Phisick, a learned and diligent 

 searcher of Samples, and Master William Martin, one 

 of the fellowship of Barbers and Chirugians, my deere 

 and loving friend, in company with him found it and 

 gave me knowledge of the plant, where it flourisheth 

 to this day. . . . Divers think that this Horse-Radish 

 is an enemie to Vines, and that the hatred between 

 them is so greate, that if the roots hereof be planted 

 neare to the Vine, it bendeth backward from it, as not 

 willing to have fellowship with it. . . . Old writers 

 ascribe this enmitie to the vine and Brassica, our Cole- 

 wortes." Both he and Parkinson think, that in trans- 

 ferring the "enmitie" from the cabbage to the horse- 

 radish, the " Ancients " have been mistranslated. The 

 Dutch called it Merretich ; the French, Grand Raifort ; 



