ACETARIACEOUS PLANTS. — MUSTARD. 



167 



state, twenty or more plants will be required. 

 A very small portion is sufficient for a day's 

 consumption, either for salads or soups, a small 

 handful of the leaves or young shoots being 

 quite sufficient. When used with salads, it 

 should be cut up very small, and served on a 

 plate by itself, so that every guest may season 

 his salad to his own taste, as many have a dis- 

 like to its flavour. 



Being a hardy perennial, it is increased by di- 

 viding the roots ; every portion, however small, 

 will grow, if only a bud be left at the top. It 

 may also be propagated by seed, but this is sel- 

 dom done. 



The seed may be sown in March. The slips 

 or roots should be planted at the same time, or 

 in autumn. It may also be propagated by cut- 

 tings of the young shoots, taken off in July, 

 when the plant is in full growth, and these will 

 strike freely under a hand-glass in a shaded situa- 

 tion. It should be planted in a dry warm soil, 

 as it is apt, when planted in cold damp soils, to 

 die during winter. 



If seed is sown, it should be in a small seed- 

 bed broadcast, and the plants removed, after 

 they have attained the height of 6 inches, into 

 rows in an open part of the garden, free of shade 

 and damp, and where the soil is perfectly dry, 

 in lines a foot and a half apart, and the plants a 

 foot asunder in the lines. They will speedily 

 increase, and become fine bushy plants the same 

 year. 



Their subsequent cultivation consists in keep- 

 ing the ground around them clear of weeds; and 

 when the plants are showing flower-stems, they 

 should be cut off, unless a plant or two be left 

 for seed. This is, however, seldom done, as the 

 plant propagates sooner and better by dividing 

 the root. Towards November, take up a few of 

 the plants, and plant them in large flower-pots 

 or boxes, to be placed in a mild heat to produce 

 green leaves and shoots during the winter. 



The plants potted in November may be from 

 time to time, to suit the demand, placed on the 

 floor of a vinery, or in a moderately-heated pit, 

 in any temperature from 45° to 60°. 



A very small portion of the green leaves or 

 tops of the young shoots should be picked off, 

 and served with the salad daily ; a somewhat 

 larger quantity when it is to be used for stews 

 or soups, and in still larger quantity when to be 

 pickled, or for making tarragon vinegar; and for 

 the latter purposes it should be supplied when 

 the plants are at their fullest size. 



General remarks. — No insects that we are 

 aware of attack this plant. It should be planted 

 in very dry soil, and in a sunny situation. The 

 European names are, L'Estragon in French; 

 Dragoncello in Italian ; Dragun in German. A 

 quarter of an ounce of seed will be sufficient for 

 most gardens, but young plants are usually pur- 

 chased from the nurseryman. Two dozen will 

 be enough to make a plantation. 



Burnet (Poterium Sanguisorba L.) belongs to 

 the natural order Rosacea?, and to the class 

 Moncecia and order Polyandria in the Linnsean 

 arrangement. The generic name is derived from 

 Poterion, a cup, because it is used in cooling drinks. 



Indigenous to Britain ; generally found in calca- 

 reous soils which have long been under pasture. 



The young leaves are often used in mixed 

 salads, particularly when made in the Italian 

 style, which, according to an old proverb, is 

 good for nothing without them. The branches 

 and leaves are also used in soups. It was for- 

 merly in higher repute than at present. 



Propagation. — By seeds sown in March or in 

 September, in any common garden-soil. Half an 

 ounce of seed will be sufficient for any garden. 

 It does not propagate so freely by division of the 

 plant ; and although this is recommended in 

 books, it will be found better to transplant the 

 young seedlings, when 3 inches in height, into 

 lines a foot apart, and the plants 9 inches asunder 

 in the line. A plantation thus made will last 

 from six to ten years. 



Subsequent cultivation. — All that is required is 

 to keep the ground clear of weeds, to prevent 

 the plants running to seed, by cutting over the 

 flower- stalks as they appear. A few plants 

 should be cut over by the ground occasionally, 

 to keep up a succession of young and tender 

 leaves. Twelve plants will be sufficient for an 

 ordinary family. A small handful will be suffi- 

 cient for a salad; for soups, double that quantity 

 will be required. 



The European names are — Pimperella in Ger- 

 man ; Pimprenella in French; Pimpinellain Italian. 



§ 7. — WHITE AND BLACK MUSTARD. 



White mustard (Sinapis alba L.) belongs to 

 the natural order Cruciferse, and to the class 

 Tetradynamia and order Siliquosa in the Lin- 

 nsean arrangement. The name is derived from 

 Sino, to hurt, Ops, the eye — as its pungency 

 hurts the eyes ; by others, from the Celtic Nap, 

 applied to the cabbage tribe. It is indigenous 

 to many parts of Britain — found growing in 

 corn-fields. It was formerly called Senvia in 

 English. Tusser mentions the use of mustard 

 in Queen Mary's time ; but it is uncertain 

 whether it was the white or the black mustard 

 he meant. Gerard informs us that the garden- 

 mustard, which produces the whitest seed, was 

 not become common in Elizabeth's reign, but 

 that he had distributed the seed into different 

 parts of England to make it known. Mustard 

 was not manufactured in his day, but was 

 brought to table whole, or bruised in vinegar. 



The principal use of both white and black 

 mustard in gardens is as an indispensable ingre- 

 dient in salads, the young leaves and stalks 

 being cut close to the ground before the forma- 

 tion of the second series or rough leaves appear. 

 Formerly the dry seed was pounded with vine- 

 gar, and, according to Gerard, " is an excellent 

 sauce — good to be eaten with any gross meats, 

 either fish or flesh, because it promotes diges- 

 tion and sharpens the appetite." 



Propagation always by seed. From a pint to 

 ten quarts of seed will be annually required, 

 according to the demand. Where a daily sup- 

 ply is required, seed should be sown every third, 

 fourth, or fifth day throughout the year. As 

 the crop is to be cut when in the cotyledon leaf 



