Purslane. Dandelion 



63 



although the point needs further investigation. There are 

 erect forms of wild purslane, as P. oleracea var. erecta, 

 Edgew. & Hook, f ., in India, but the leaves are narrovf. 

 De CandoUe speaks of the var. sativa as if native in India 

 and South America, and also as cultivated in Europe. The 

 contrast in habit and stature betvireen the wild purslane and 

 the cultivated kind affords a marked example of the sup- 

 posed effects of domestication. The winter purslane is a 

 different plant of the same family {Montia perfoliata, 

 Howell), native of western America to Mexico. It is 

 sometimes grown for autumn and winter use, being sown 

 in summer, or treated as a winter annual for early spring. 



Dandelion. — The dande- 

 lion is a great favorite 

 for spring greens, being 

 cut from meadows and 

 yards for the purpose. It 

 seems not to be generally 

 realized, however, that the 

 plant has been greatly im- 

 proved in size and vigor as 

 a potherb, and that it is 

 much grown abroad and 

 also to a considerable ex- 

 tent as a market crop in 

 this country. Some of the 

 varieties with large leaves 

 and others with cut or frilled leaves are great improve- 

 ments on the 'wild plant, and the foliage is often hand- 

 some for garnishing as well as useful for food. Some of 



22. Upright or Improved purslane. 



