THE NEW VEGETABLE . 
[Nature ancl Art, June 1, 18GG. 
forms the only route through this perilous tract, 
where whole villages are sometimes overwhelmed 
by huge descending landslips. Professor Pallas 
thus describes one of these catastrophes : — 
“ On the 10th of February, 1786, the surface of the earth 
about the deep glens before mentioned, and in another still 
further to the eastward, began to burst and to exhibit cracks 
or clefts ; so that on the same day, the brook which had 
hitherto turned two small mills constructed by the native 
Tartars entirely disappeared. Two days afterwards, the 
soil having- become entirely disengaged, and the frightened 
inhabitants of the adjacent village having removed their 
cattle, carried off their effects, and abandoned their habita- 
tions, the whole tract between the hollows above described, 
from the lofty banks of rock by the sea-shore, fell in, about 
midnight, with a dreadful noise ; and this sinking continued 
till the 28th of February; so as to occasion a terrific abyss, 
from ten to twenty fathoms deep, in which only a large 
parallel ridge of hard rock and two smaller crests remained 
projecting- at the bottom. The ground thus fallen extends 
about a mile and a half in length and six hundred yards in 
breadth. In proportion as one part of the steep declivity 
was detached from the rock, the whole mass pressed down- 
wards, and the strand was removed further into the sea to 
a distance of from one hundred to two hundred yards.” 
Across one of the chasms caused by the shifting 
beds of shale, the Tartars had constructed a bridge 
of the most rickety and insecure description. 
Some account of the passage of this we will give in 
our next communication. 
(To be continued.) 
THE NEW VEGETABLE. 
(Baphanus caudatus.) 
By J. R. Jackson, Royal Museum, Kew. 
npHE newly-introduced radish, which has attracted the 
X attention of horticulturists so much of late, is 
certainly a novelty, inasmuch as the edible portion of the 
plant is the seed-vessel, and not the root. The common 
radish, in its numerous varieties, is such an exceedingly 
popular salad-plant, that we are scarcely prepared to look 
to this genus for new economic products or floral novelties. 
When wo consider the many varieties of radish known in 
this country, from the long and tapering red-root to the 
white turnip-radish, we might, in some measure, be pre- 
pared for a wider development of nature’s laws in tropical 
countries. Of the genus Baphanus there are but six species, 
and two of these are British, namely, the wild radish or 
jointed charlock (B. raphanistrum), and the sea-radish (IS. 
maritimus). 
From whence our garden-radish came is unknown. It 
has been thought to be a native of China ; but some 
varieties of B. raplianistrum have been gathered on the 
shores of the Mediterranean, and have characters almost suf- 
ficient to establish a link between the two, and the possi- 
bility of the one being- a cultivated form of the other. The 
garden-radish, however, was very extensively grown both 
by the Egyptians and Greeks in ancient times, and has 
long- been in cultivation in this country. We read that 
radishes appeared at the table of Henry VIII., about 1532, 
and the author of “ The Book of Simples,” written in 
1562, says : “ Of radish-roots there ho no small store grow- 
ing- about the famous Citye of London. They be more 
plefttifull than profytable, and more noysome than nowrish- 
inge to manne’s nature.” Old Gerard seems to have been 
acquainted with four varieties so early as 1597. 
The effects of climatic changes and rich soil, together with 
careful cultivation, have considerably increased the number 
of varieties ; but the result has been a greater or more 
perfect development of the root. This is not the case with 
the Baphanus caudatus ; the pods are the edible as well as 
the most singular part of the plant, for they are said to 
grow to a length of three or four feet. The seeds of this 
radish, which have been recently advertised for sale at the 
very high price of one guinea for seven seeds, were first 
received at the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, in April, 1865, 
and the pods were exhibited in July of the same year. 
The plant is said to be a native of India, whence the seeds 
were derived. They germinate, and the plants grow very 
rapidly ; those at Edinburgh flowering seven weeks after 
sowing. The petals are whitish, tipped with purple, and 
traversed by purple veins, or streaks ; each plant has from 
eighteen to twenty seed-vessels, some of them two feet nine 
inches long, and varying in colour from green to purple, or 
a mixture of the two. The plants grow well in the open 
air ; indeed, they are said to do better even than under 
glass, those grown at Edinburgh and by Mr. Bull, of 
Chelsea, flowering- much more profusely out of doors, than 
those kept in a greenhouse or stove. The rapidity of the 
growth of the pod must be something remarkable, if, as 
alleged, it grows three inches in one night. These long 
fruits hang upon the plant ; some quite straight, while 
others are twisted and curled in all directions, giving- the 
plant a very peculiar appearance. The greatest twisting- or 
contortion of the seed-vessels occurs when the seeds are 
mostly in the upper portion of the siliqua. Now the 
economic value of this plant lies entirely in these long- 
seed-vessels : they are said to be of a much more delicate 
flavour than a common esculent radish-root, with, perhaps, 
a little more pungency. They can be eaten raw, in their 
young state, as an ordinary radish, or in salads, or as 
pickle ; indeed, if we are to believe the advertisements, 
these seed-vessels are to be “ regarded as one of the 
most useful vegetables that have been introduced for many 
years.” 
Now the question that arises regarding- this edible-podded 
radish is, whether it is a true and distinct species. Some 
eight years since, seeds were received in this country of a 
radish, called the Madras radish. It is said, however, to 
be a native of Java, but cultivated to some extent in India, 
especially in the vicinity of Benares. This plant was also 
grown at the Edinburgh Botanic Garden ; but, instead of 
pods three or four feet long, it only produced them of eight 
or nine inches. This radish was subsequently called the 
rat-tail radish, of which many varieties are known, and 
though the pods produced at Edinburgh were not more than 
nine inches in length, it would appear that, by carefully 
sowing seed from the long- attenuate-podded plants, they 
can be grown much longer. The pods of the Madras, or 
rat-tail radish, are referred to as being edible, though they 
never came into great repute. The question now to be 
decided is, whether these two plants are identical, and to be 
considered rather as varieties than as species. Professor 
Balfour says,' the two plants he has at Edinburgh still hold 
good to their distinctive characters. Those who consider 
them quite distinct have given the name of snake-radish to 
the longest podded one, to distinguish it from the rat-tail. 
J. B. J. 
We are informed that on the plant arriving- at matu- 
rity, the pods of Baphatius 0. are often so numerous and 
heavy, as to render a substantial support to the plant 
necessary, in order to prevent its branches from being 
broken. When served as a cooked vegetable, it should be 
treated after the manner of asparagus, which in taste it is 
said much to resemble. The flavour of early green peas 
which is attributed to it, will no doubt by epicures be 
deemed no disqualification or loss of claim to their 
I favourable consideration. — E d. 
