1887] History of Garden Vegetables. 701 
HISTORY OF GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
BY E. LEWIS STURTEVANT, A.M., M.D." 
(Continued from page 532.) 
CATERPILLARS. Scorpiurus sp. 
STRANGE taste causes various species of Scorpiurus to be 
included among our garden vegetables, the caterpillar-like 
forms of the seed-pods being used as salad-garnishing by those 
fond of practical jokes. As a vegetable their flavor is very in- 
different. The species enumerated by Vilmorin are Scorpiurus 
vermiculatus L., the common caterpillar; S. muricatus L the 
prickly caterpillar; S. sulcatus L., the furrowed caterpillar; and 
S. subvillosus L., the hairy caterpillar. This latter species is 
figured by Dodonzeus in 1616, and is said even then to be 
sometimes grown in gardens. They are all native to Southern 
Europe. 
Catnir. Nepeta cataria L. 
It is hardly worth while to notice this plant of insignificant 
use, yet still holding a place in the herb-garden, and, in France, 
grown for use of the leaves as a condiment.? In 1726, Town- 
send? says it is used by some in England to give a high relish in 
sauces. It is a native of Europe, and is now common through- 
out Eastern America. It is mentioned among the plants of Vir- 
ginia by Gronovius,‘ as collected by Clayton preceding 1739. 
Catnip (called also Nepp) has for name, in France, menthe dé 
chat, herbe aux chats ; in Germany, gemeines Katzenmunze 5 Nepte ; 
-in Holland, £attekruid, nept ; in Denmark, katteurt, sisembrandt ; 
in Sweden, kattmynta; in Italy, gattaria ; in Spain, gatera ; in 
Portugal, neveda dos gatos ; in Russia, koschitza mehta® 
CAULIFLOWER. Brassica oleracea botrytis cauliflora DeC. 
I am unable to recognize the cauliflower in any of the cabbage 
tribe described by the ancient authors, although the perfected 
condition of our present vegetable would lead us to assign to it 
a great antiquity. Its not being mentioned by Ruellius (1536), 
4 Director of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva. 
2 Vilmorin, Les. Pl. Pot., 1883, 354. 3 Townsend, Seedsman, 1726, 36- 
4 Gronovins, Fl. Virg., 1762, 89... 8 Vilmorin, Le. 1:4 Mill. Dicty 1807- 
