228 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



tumn, they were not good ; in Scotland they would have 

 been accounted quite unfit for use. The supply of red 

 beet at this morning market, was less than might have 

 been looked for ; for we observed that a great deal 

 of this esculent root is daily used by the common peo- 

 ple, being hawked through the streets ready boiled. No 

 parsnips were this morning to be seen in the Amsterdam 

 market, which is singular ; this root being a favourite in the 

 other towns of the Low Countries which we have visited 

 Endive was common, generally the plain Batavian variety. 

 Of lettuce, the only kinds were the white Dutch, and the 

 brown Dutch. Purslane was extremely abundant ; it 

 came in broad shallow baskets ; and there were perhaps five 

 hundred such baskets displayed. It was all of the green 

 variety, which is the most hardy ; the golden or less hardy 

 not being cultivated by the sale gardeners. There was a 

 small supply of spinage ; likewise of garden sorrel*, and of 

 chervil. Summer savory, tarragon, and broad-leaved 

 sage, appeared sparingly. Celery was not wanting, but 

 was of a quality which in Scotland would be reckoned bad. 

 It resembled ours when neglected to be transplanted ; and 

 there seemed to have been no attempt at blanching the stalks. 

 In the cultivation of this article, our gardeners certainly ex- 

 cel, and the Dutch are exceedingly deficient. At Ghent, it 

 may be remarked, celery was good ; and it was tolerable 

 even at Antwerp ; but throughout Holland it seems very 

 indifferent. In the winter season, knoll-celcri or celeriac 

 js, we understand, much used. In the gardens, this va- 

 riety is only planted out in beds at this season of the year, 

 M it swells very quickly in the latter end of the autumn. 



• The Zuuring of the Dutch ; evidently the same word as the Scottish 

 <>r Sourac/c. 



