1890. | History of Garden Vegetables. 151 
fleas, is called in France menthe pouliot ;* in Germany, polei; 
in Holland, foley; in Italy, pulegio; in Greece, gluphone or 
vlehont ; by the Turks, filis cun; in Egypt, hobag.® 
PEPPERMINT. Mentha piperita L. 
Peppermint is grown on a large scale for the sake of the oil 
which is obtained by distillation, and which finds large use for 
flavoring candies and cordials, but especially in medicine. There 
are large centres of its culture in the UnitedjStates, Europe, and 
Asia, but we are now concerned with its appearance as a pot- 
herb, for which it is grown to a limited extent, the leaves used 
for seasoning. It is spoken of as if not a garden plant by Ray,” 
in 1724, who describes two varieties, the broad and narrow 
leaved. In 1778 it is included by Mawe™ among garden herbs; 
in 1806 noticed among American garden plants,” and is now an 
escape from cultivation. I find no notice of the peppermint pre- 
ceeding 1700, when it is mentioned by Plukenet” and Tourne- 
fort,” and is noted as a wild plant only. 
Peppermint is called in France menthe poivree; in Germany, 
pfeffermunze; in Denmark, pebbermynte;™ in the Mauritius, 
pepermenthe ;” in India, beelluta or panee kula;™ in Egypt, 
lemmane or nana; in Bengali and Hindustani, pudina, also in 
Hindustani, zana ; in Japan, faki." 
PEPPERS. Capsicum annuum L. 
This plant is of American origin, and is first mentioned by 
Peter Martyr in an epistle dated September, 1493, wherein he 
says Columbus brought home “ pepper more pungent than that 
6! Vilmorin. Les Pl. Pot., 354- 
16 Speede. Ind. Handb. of Conk. 183. 
T Pickering. Ch. Hist., 671. 



