BOOK REVIEWS. 



589 



those dim Asian countries whence so many of our well-known plants 

 started their wanderings. 



Let us take, for instance, the lettuce. Spoken of by Herodotus 

 as being present at the feasts of the Persian kings, 550 B.C., we find 

 it later closely associated with Adonis, who in his Syrian form typified 

 the fugitive herb which blooms and dies away. In Greece this 

 memory was kept alive at the celebration of his death by sowing 

 lettuce seeds in small jars, and finally casting these " Adonis gardens " 

 into the water. Seeds have been found in Egyptian tombs, and it 

 is considered to have been one of the bitter herbs at the Paschal 

 feasts of the Hebrews. Then we find it at Eoman tables, and as the 

 origin of the family name of the Latucini. 



The Moors in Spain in the thirteenth century gave it an honoured 

 place in their gardens, and a leap of centuries shows us the sturdy 

 Eabelais collecting seeds at Eome for the garden of his friend the 

 Bishop of Mallezais. The good cleric doubtless accepted as pontifical 

 any gastronomical recommendations from such a source! 



The white- seeded form owed its introduction in Franco to 

 Charles I., although in an indirect manner. This variety was brought 

 to Avignon during the Papal residences, and from thence it found 

 an easy route to Paris, and later was brought to this country by 

 Tradescant. This example will show how closely bound up with 

 human history are the migrations of various vegetables. 



We miss, by the way, in the account of this plant, the amusing 

 story related by Athenaeus of Aristoxenus. So great was the love 

 of the latter for this vegetable thaft he watered at night with mead 

 such plants as were to appear at the next day's feast. Certain 

 supposed medical effects alluded to by the same writer are omitted, 

 we presume from motives of discretion. 



The strawberry is included on account of its close association with 

 the * * Jardin Potager, ' ' and an excellent account of the very interesting 

 history of this fruit is given. To the accounts given of early references 

 might be added a letter patent given by Charles VI. granting the fruit- 

 sellers of Paris exemption from octroi duties on " fraiz, pommes, 

 poires," &c. This evidence, to be found in " Le Livre des Metiers,'" 

 shows the fruit was appreciated at this time, and it may quite possibly 

 have been cultivated for this market. 



The limitations of space forbid an examination of further sections, 

 and we venture in conclusion to prophesy that the ** Histoire des 

 Legumes " will take its place by the side of De Candolle's great work 

 ' and Hehn's " Wanderings of Plants and Animals " on the shelves of 

 students of horticultural history. 



Of the production of the book we may say it is far better in paper 

 and typography than is usually the case in French productions of 

 P j kindred nature. It is divided into rough sections, such as " Legumes 

 proprement dit," Legumes Eacines," &c., and is prefaced by what 

 we believe it is now correct to call a " foreword " by M. Philippe 

 L. de Vilmorin. It contains a few reproductions of illustrations from 

 old herbals. 



