273 



SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE 



OF 



CULINARY SEEDS, 



COMPRISING THEIR VARIOUS SPECIES, AND THE PRINCIPAL VARIETIES 

 WHICH ARE IN GENERAL CULTIVATION ; THEIR NATIVE PLACE OP 

 GROWTH, IF INDIGENOUS ; AND IF EXOTIC, THE TIME OF THEIR 

 INTRODUCTION. 



Alexanders, or Alisanders, — Smyrnium olusatrum, (^Linnceus) — belongs to the 

 class and order Pcntandria Digynia, and ranks in the natural order of Umbelliferce. 

 The alisander is a native of Britain, grows naturally near the sea, and is often to 

 be observed naturalized, near old buildings. It w^as in more general use many years 

 ago, than it is at present, an;l was much cultivated before the use of celery became 

 so general. It is used as a culinary plant when blanched, and is of a warm aromatic 

 quality. There is only one variety cultivated. 



Asparagus, — Asparagus nfficinaJis, [Linn.) — belongs to the class and order 

 Hexandria Monogynia, and ranks in the natural order oi Jsphodelacc. Asparagus is a 

 native of Britain, and is found on gravelly situations near the sea, as for instance in 

 the vicinity of Bristol, in the isle of Portland, and Seaton Links, near Edinburgh. 

 It is common on the shores of the north of Europe, and many of rhe steppes in the 

 south of Russia and Poland, are covered with it; it is there eaten by the cattle as 

 grass. It is so much altered in appearance and size, by cultivation, that those who 

 are perfectly acquainted with it in their gardens, would not, without a considerable 

 share of botanical knowledge, recognize it in its native state. 



Thii cxcelli'nt vegetable, which is in general use, not only in Britain, but over all 

 the continent of Europe, and in many parts of America, has been in cultivation for 

 an unknown period. 



Those who have never seen the vast loads of this vegetable daily brought during 

 its season, to Covent-Garden Market, will be surprized to hear, that in the parish of 

 Mortlake alone, there are computed to be above eighty acres under this crop ; and 

 one gardener of the name of Biggs, has frequently forty acres under asparagus, and 

 another near Deptford has eighty. The natural season of asparagus, round London, 

 lasts from ten to twelve weeks ; but forced asparagus is to be had from November 

 uiitil it be produced from the open ground. It brings the price of about one pound 

 per hundred hca 's, during the months of November, December, January, and 

 February, and in May and June, from \0s. to 2*. Qd. per hundred. 



The varieties in general cultivation are the red-topped, or Dutch, whicli is the 

 strongest of the two, and the green-topped, "which is not so large, but is reckoned 

 of a better flavor. The varieties in the seed catalogues, are the Battersea, Deptford, 

 large GraveN.'nd, large Reading, Dutch, Cork, and early Mortlake, but they aie 

 only considercil as sub -varieties of the two former. 



k-ncv.LXC \,—A»gi'Uca arcltangelica, (/>?«??.)— belongs to the class and order, Pi h- 

 tandria Digynia, and ranks under the natural order of Umbellifcrcr. It is found in 



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