SALSAFY, OR VEGETABLE OYSTER 



643 



Uses. — The roots are sent to table boiled, and the tenderest 

 leaves form a very good salad. 



In some parts a yello^v-flo^vered variety of Salsafy is grown, 

 which probably originated from a botanical species different from 

 T. porrifolius. This might be either T, pratensis, L., which is 

 common in meadows throughout the whole of France, or T. 

 orientalis, which is larger than T. pratensis in all its parts, and 

 consequently comes nearer to the size of the cultivated plant ; or it 

 might be T. Major, Jacq., which in all respects, except the colour 

 of the flowers, resembles the Common Salsafy {T. porrifolius). It 

 appears certain, mioreover, that T. pornfoluis itself was first brought 

 into cultivation at a comparatively recent date. 



SAMPHIRE 



Crithmum inaritimuni, L. UmbellifercB, 



French, Perce-pierre. Ge^-man, Meer-Fenchel. Flemish and Dutch, Zeevenkel. 

 Italian, Bacicci. Spanish, Hinojo marino. Portuguese^ Funcho marine. 



Native of Europe, including Great Britain. — Perennial. — 

 Samphire usually grows on rocks or the steep sides of cliffs by the 

 seaside, but always above 

 high-water mark of the 

 highest tides. It is a 

 plant with a creeping 

 root-stock ; the stems are 

 short and stout, finely 

 striated, and often 

 branched, the branches 

 being very widely forked. 

 The leaves are twice and 

 thrice divided into linear, 

 thick, sv/ollen, fleshy seg- 

 ments. Flowers small, 

 whitish, in terminal 

 umbels ; seeds oblong, 

 elliptical, yellow, flattened 

 on one side, and convex, 

 with three prominent ribs 

 on the other ; remarkably 

 light for their size. Their germinating power is quite gone after 

 the first year. By the seashores the Samphire is gathered from the 

 rocks where it grows naturally, but it may be grown in gardens by 

 ^wing the seed in autumn, as soon as it ripens, in good, light, well- 

 drained soil. It is advisable to cover the seedlings in the winter 

 with some protection from frost, to which the plants are rathei 



Samphire (^V natural size). 



