RAT-TAILED RADISH 



631 



RAT-TAILED RADISH 



Raphanus caudatus, L. 



Radis serpent. 



Native of South Asia. — Annual. — The edible part of this Radish 

 is not the root, but the silique or seed-vessel, which is gathered 

 before it is fully grown. This, instead of being short and thick, as 

 in other Radishes, is often twisted, scarcely as thick as a lead-pencil, 

 and often 8 to 10 in. long. It is frequently violet-coloured, and 

 somewhat pungent, like that of the Small or Forcing Radishes. 



Culture. — This plant is extremely easy to grow. The seed 

 is sown in May, where the plants are to stand, in a warm position 

 if possible, and in about three months the plants commence to 

 flower and yield pods or seed-vessels. 



Uses. — The fresh pods are eaten raw, or they may be pickled 

 in vinegar. 



In warm countries another kind of Radish, named the Madras 

 Radish, is sometimes grown for its pods, which are used like those of 

 the Rat-tailed Radish. They are almost the same shape as the pods 

 of the common kinds of Radish, but far more fleshy and tender. 



RAMPION 



Campanula Rapunculus, L. Campanulacece. 



French, Raiponce. German, Rapunzel-Riibe. Fle7nish and Dutch, Rapunsel. Italian, 

 Raperonzolo. Spanish, Reponche. Portuguese, Rapunculo. 



Native of Europe. — Biennial. — Root white, spindle-shaped, and 

 nearly \ in. in diameter for 2 in. or more of its length ; flesh white, 

 very firm, but crisp ; leaves sessile, 

 rather numerous, long oval-spathu- 

 late, narrowed at the base, something 

 like those of the Common Corn- 

 salad, but more slender and a 

 lighter green ; flower-stems slender, 

 hard, somewhat angular, sometimes 

 branching, and bearing a few linear 

 leaves ; flowers lilac, bell-shaped, 

 with five sharp-pointed divisions, 

 and borne in long spikes ; seed- 

 vessels small, top-shaped, sur- 

 mounted by the five teeth of the 

 calyx ; seeds oblong, flattened, 

 light brown, and exceedingly 

 small. They are the smallest of 

 all kitchen-garden seeds. Their 

 germinating power lasts for five 



years. Rampion natural size). 



