274 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



Britain, but has been probably naturalized ; it is also common in Lapland and 

 Iceland. It appears to have been cultivated in England before 1568. This vegetable 

 IS also nearly supplanted by the more general use of celery, and like the Alisaiiders, 

 is now little used in domestic cookery. The leaf-stalks are now only used for candying, 

 and for this purpose, are in perfection in May. It is more generally used in medicine 

 than in cookery. The roots were formerly blanched and eaten like celery. Th« 

 young shoots are in great esteem amongst the Laplanders, who, in order to add to the 

 pungency of the tobacco, which they are in the habit of using, mix with it the roots 

 of Angelica Archungelice, but if this species be not at hand, they substitute those of 

 Augdicn sijhestris. It appears to be a very hardy plant, as according to the Lachesit 

 Lajiponica, it grows freely within 1100 feet of the line of perpetual snow. In Nor- 

 way, bread is sometimes made of the roots. 



Anise, — Pimpinella anisum, (Linn.) — belongs to the class and order of Pentandria 

 Trigynid, and natural order of Umbcllifero'. It is a native of Egypt, and introduced 

 in 1551. A small portion of it is sufficient for a large family, being only cultivated for 

 a garnish, and sometimes used for seasoning. It is extensively cultivated in Malta 

 and Spain, and the seeds are thence imported into this country for distillation and 

 expression. It is also used in medicine with beneficial effects. 



Basil, — Ocymum basilicuni and Ocymum minimum, (Linn.) — belongs to the class 

 and order Didyuamia Gymnospe'rmia, and natural order of Labiatce. The former 

 is a native of the East Indies, and was introduced in 1548 ; tlie leaves are used 

 occasionally, both in salails and soups. The latter is also a native of the East Indies, 

 and was introduced in 1573. The seeds of both sorts are seldom ripened in England, 

 and are by the seeds-nun, procured from Italy. 



Bi.AX, — Vicic. faba, {Linn.) — belongs to the class and order Diadelphia De- 

 cundria, and natural order Leguminoso". The bean is a native of Egypt, and other 

 parts of the e »st. One variety, the Mazagan, is indigenous to Mazagan, a Portu- 

 guese settleuK III on the African coast. The bean has been known in this country 

 from time iwin;emonal, and it is supposed to have been introduced by the Romans. 

 There arc many varieties cultivated, some of them differing so little in their charac- 

 teristics, as to be scarcely distinguished. The following are the best : — Early small 

 mazagan, early long-pod, sword long-pod, Turkey long-pod, early small Lisbon, 

 large long-pod, broad Spanish, Windsor broad, large Kentish Windsor, Taylor's 

 Windsor, Sandwich, Tokar, white blossomed, green nonpareil, Mumford, dwarf- 

 cluster, fan or bog, and the new red blossomed. Of these, the three former are 

 the earliest, the others, excepting the dwarf-cluster, fan or bog, are for principal 

 crops. The dwarf-cluster, (an or bog, is for cultivation in borders, and in small 

 gardens, when there ii a paucity of room, as it occupies little space. DeUiunay in L« 

 bon Jardinier, describes a new sort cultivated about Paris, called the green bean of 

 China. We cannot, however, give an opinion of its merits, never having seen it 

 It is, however, described as a good bean, late, but productive, and the seeds are said 

 to remain green, even after being ripe and dried. 



Beans, Kidney ov French, — Phaseolus vulgaris, (Linn.) — belonging to the class 

 and order Diadelphia Dccandria, and natural order of Leguminosrr. It is a native 

 of India, and introduceil in 1579 or earlier, and cultivated in our gardens as a tender 

 and much-admired esculent ; the parts used, are the pods before they have arrived 

 at maturity. In France, and other parts of the continent, as well as in America, 

 they cultivate them in the fields, and it has been suggested, that the same practice 

 would be beneficial in this country, as they will grow in any tolerably good soil, and 

 become particularly useful in times of scarcity, either in their green state, or dried 

 andgro\iii(l into flour. On the continent, the ripe seeds are used in cookery, forming 

 what are called harricots of different kinds, and are also put into some sorts of soups. 



