ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF OUR GARDEN VEGETABLES. 317 



is figured in herbals of the sixteenth century, but " those grown in 

 some of the provinces are remarkably large and of a wax colour or 

 bl?rck by this Pliny means dark green. Gardeners to-day speak of 

 black mint in the same sense. He describes their long shape and adds, 

 " If hung in a tube while in blossom the cucumber will grow to a 

 most surprising length." 



Pliny tells us that the cucumber was so great a favourite with the 

 Emperor Tiberius that he raised beds made in frames upon wheels by 

 means of which the cucumbers were moved and exposed to the full 

 heat of the sun, while in winter they were withdrawn and placed 



t 



k 

 I 



I' 

 { 



Fig. 95. — Common Cucumber, from Gerard's Herbal. 



under the protection of frames glazed with " mirror-stone," probably 

 a thin layer of selenite, a crystallized form of gypsum, which can be 

 split into thin translucent slices. 



Gerard (1597) so described the cucumber: "the fruit is long, 

 cornered, rough, and set forth with certaine bumpes or risings, wherein 

 is contained a firme and solide pulpe or substance, transparent or 

 thorow shining; which togither with the seede is eaten a little before 

 they be fully ripe." His illustration (fig. 95) of the plant shows 

 cucumbers like our young gherkins. 



The dietary value is practically nothing, there being upwards of 

 96 per c-ent. of water. 



Dandelion. 



This familiar wild flower {Taraxacum officinale, Web.) is now 

 cultivated and blanched for saladings. It has long been regarded as a 



