HOW TO POPULARISE ORCHID-GROWING. 



113 



mums, Primulas, and such plants. They are kept very dry now, 

 having been gradually allowed to rest through the dark days ; 

 and, unless they shrivel, I do not give them water at all, as I 

 find the one essential is a perfect and somewhat prolonged rest 

 in cool, dry air. To see the way these yellow sun-burned leaves 

 turn green and fresh, and to see the vigorous young roots push 

 when in spring these baskets, after being re-surfaced and 

 dressed with fresh Fern-root and moss, are placed anew in the 

 genial atmosphere of the vinery, is a delight to a gardener who 

 likes to see his plants happy ; and though I should fear " spot," 

 which comes from damp and airlessness, I do not mind a little 

 shrivelling or yellowing of leaves in early spring, knowing well 

 how necessary this cool, dry rest is to their well-being and free- 

 flowering later on. I need hardly say this is especially an 

 Orchid that needs a pure air and a clear sky in winter. 



I think I have now trespassed sufficiently on your patience, 

 and can only hope I have made myself clear enough to tempt 

 new beginners to try these Orchids. They will inevitably try 

 their hand at others. My experience leads me, at any rate, to 

 this conclusion. 



OUR COMMON VEGETABLES: THEIR ORIGIN, 

 HISTORY, AND VALUE AS FOODS. 



By the Rev. George Henslow, M.A., F.L.S., &c. 



[Bead October 23, 1894.] 



The edible parts of plants used as our common vegetables are 

 supplied by roots, stems, leaves, flower-buds, fruits, and seeds. 

 A selection of the more important will be given in the following 

 observations. 



Roots. 



Turnip. — The Turnip is derived from a variety of Brassica 



campestris, L., of the order Cruciferce. It is usually named B. 



Bapa, L., the Rape being derived from B. Naptcs, L. Authors, 



however, are not all agreed upon the differences between these 



two being specific. Gerarde (Herball, 1597) united the two, and 



the late Professor J. Buckman considered them as identical.* 



* Treasury of Botany, s.v. Pliny also observes : " The Turnip is 

 pretty nearly of the same nature as the Eape " (xviii. 35). 



