The 7ra£iical Kitchen Gardiner. 



SECT. III. CHAP. XXXIL 

 Of the afparagus, its culture, 6cc. 



'^I^HE afparagus is the laft plant I fhall 

 Jl^ treat of in this fedion 5 which, 

 according to the various methods of its 

 raifing, and the many different months 

 of the year in which it is eaten, added 

 to its own natural goodnefs, might well 

 claim the precedence of all other kitchen 

 plants. 



It is caird afparagus, fay fomc, {ab afpe- mnvntmi 

 ritate) from its aptitude to fhoot or run 

 high and into prickles j tho' others, per- 

 haps better skill'd in botany, derive it 

 from fome roots in the * Greek language, 

 which imply its efficacy againft trem- 

 bling, as it is fuppofed to be an excel- 

 lent cordial, temperately hot and moifl, 

 diuretic and eafy of digeflion j and 

 Tliny fays of it, that it is omnium hor- 

 tenfiorum lautijjima aura 5 and in ano- 

 ther ^f- place, the moil ufeful herb that 

 is for the ftomach, and being mix d with 



* Afparagus u(r7toi^a.^^<^ ab <* priv,, & c'^cfj^a tremo, 

 Vid. Catal. Hort. p.^i. 



t Plin. Nat. Hift. Lib. 20- cap. 10. 



M z cummin^ 



