724 The American Naturalist. [August, 
Rumex sanguineus L. 
This weed of waste and cultivated grounds of America is men- 
tioned, under the name Bloodwort, by Josselyn,* about the middle 
of the seventeenth century, as introduced. As Gerarde ? in 1630 
says it was sown in his time for a pot-herb in most gardens, and 
as Ray “ in 1686 also says it was planted in gardens as a vege- 
table, we may believe that it was in former use in colonial gardens 
in Massachusetts. Its use is as a spinage, and for this purpose 
the leaves of the wild plant are occasionally collected at the 
present time. 
Bloody-veined dock is the name under which the wild plant is 
now known, 
SOUTHERNWOOD. Artemesia abrotanum L. 
This aromatic plant is inconsiderably cultivated for its agree- 
able taste and tonic properties.” To some people its fragrance is 
very grateful. It is cultivated in most parts of China for the use 
of the young shoots made into cakes with meal.“ It was appar- 
ently known to the ancients, but the references are not as clear 
as might be. It was described as under cultivation by the 
herbalists of the sixteenth century, and Turner“ in 1538 gives 
its English name as Suthernwoode. In 1859 Gray" says it is 
found in some American gardens. 
Southernwood, called in Anglo-Saxon, sethrenewudu or suthern- 
wude,” is called in France, aurone, aurone des jardins, aurone 
male, citronelle, garde-robe, herbe royale, vrogne; in Denmark, 
ambra, in Italy, abrotano, abrotino ; in Greece, pikrothanos ; 
in Egypt, semsæk, or ms@k, or meskeh ; " in China, yin-chin-hau.® 
SPINAGE. Sfinacea oleracea L. 
This plant was unknown to the ancient Greeks and Romans, 
but appears to have been early used by the Arabs, and by the 
nye Rar., 114. 
55 Gerarde. ., 1633, 
e Hist, 1686, 174. 
audin. Man., IV., 239; Vilmorin. Les Pl. Pot., 28. 
MM Mat. LN a, 25. 
# Turner. Libellus, 
9? Gray. Man. of Bot. tiso, 228, 
5! Pickering. Ch. Hist., 
