THE NIGHTSHADE FAMILY. 



303 



America, and now spread over the tropics. It was intro- 

 duced to Britain in 1597 ; it is a tender annual plant, culti- 

 vated for curiosity ; its fruit resembles an egg. There are 

 several varieties, varying in colour from white to red, yellow 

 or dull purple, and in shape more or less round or oblong. 

 It is much cultivated in France, as also a sort called Bringals, 

 of which French cooks make great use for culinary purposes. 



Bitter-sweet {Solanum dulcamara). A slender-stemmed, 

 straggling plant, growing abundantly in hedges, which in 

 autumn it adorns with its bunches of beautiful red berries, 

 that have the appearance of currants, and being sweet and * 

 tempting are often eaten by children, to whom serious con- 

 sequences have often occurred. It is recorded that thirty 

 berries killed a dog in three hours. This circumstance 

 shows the necessity of guarding children against them. 



A great number of virtues are ascribed to this plant even 

 as far back as the time of Theophrastus, who called it vitis 

 sylvestris. It is still in great repute amongst rustic as well 

 as regular practitioners. 



Apple of Sodom {^Solanum sodomeum). A prickly species 

 attaining the height of 2 or 3 feet, a native of Palestine, 

 especially on the shores of the Dead Sea. It produces fruit 

 like "faire apples," but when ripe is found to be full of dust 

 like ashes, which is caused by an insect depositing its eggs in 

 the young fruit, the larvge destroying- and pulverizing the 

 whole of the inner part, leaving the rind entire and hard. 

 This agrees with the description of the Apples of Sodom as 

 given by Josephus and Tacitus, but it is more generally 

 believed that the plant bearing the " faire apples" is the 

 Colocynth., which see. 



Solarium anthropophagorum. A soft brushy shrub, attain- 

 ing the height of 6 feet, having dark-green leaves similar to 

 the Love Apple. It is a native of Fiji, where its fruit 

 figures in the cannibal feasts of the natives. 



Chillies, or Guinea Pepper (Capsicum annuum). This 

 originally came from India, but is now cultivated in all tro- 

 pical regions. It is an annual plant, attaining the height 



