On the French Turnep. 



27 



I am unable to trace its first coming into such common use 

 there; but, as it is distinguished by Gaspar Bauhin, who 

 published his Pinax, in 1671, it must have been well known 

 at that period. It is called le Navet, by the French ; Teltow 

 Ruben, by the Germans ; and is the French Turnep of our 

 gardens. The only synonyms I dare put down as certainly 

 belonging to it, are, 



Brassica Napus, j3. Linn. Sp. PL ed. 2. p. 931. 



Napus Sativa. G. Bauh. Pin. 95. 

 For above twelve years, I have seen this plant brought to 

 the market in Covent Garden, but only by one person, and 

 I believe it has been chiefly sold to foreigners, though, when 

 once known, it will be a very acceptable root in most fami- 

 lies. It is much more delicate in flavour than our common 

 Turnep, and is to be used in the same way. . In Germany, 

 it enriches all their soups, and there is no necessity to cut 

 away the outer skin or rind, which is thinner than that of the 

 common Turnep, but only to scrape it. Stewed in gravy, 

 it forms a most excellent dish, and, being white, and of 

 the shape of a carrot, when mixed alternately with those 

 roots upon a dish, it is very ornamental. The following dif- 

 ferent receipts for dressing them, are by an eminent French 

 Cook: 



1st. " Take your roots, and wash them very clean with a 

 brush ; then scrape them, cutting a thin slice away from the 

 top, and as much from the bottom as will make them all of 

 equal lengths : boil them in water, with a little salt, till they 

 are tender ; then put them into a stewpan, with a gill of veal 

 gravy, two tea-spoonfuls of lemon pickle, one of mushroom 

 ketchup, a little mace, and salt, and let them just simmer, 



