Chap. 633. UngUjh Herb , 
'S. 
y-mZov, Sifarum Hortenfe ; Sifarum. Dodonai, Lo- 
belij, o’ Tragi ; S/ 7 e/- Camerarij , Con/;, Gefneri, 
& Mm lb toll Sr/ec Germanicum Cafalpini. Our 
Common Garden Skirret. Tiberius the Emperor 
was fo in Love with this Root, that he Lent for 
it out of Germany, from Ge/duba , a Caftle ot Place 
about the Rhine , as Pliny Lib. 16. Cup. 5. fays, 
this Emperor , was fo much taken with it, that he 
caufed it to be brought to him every year out of 
Germany. Columna and fome others took this 
plant to be the Llaphobofcum Diofcoridit , but they 
were deceived, for this Herb is neither Ferulous, 
nor has it Llmbels of Yellow Flowers, nor Seed 
like the Parfnep; but it has white flowers, and 
Seed like Parfly. Pliny his Sifer, which is all 
one with the Sifarum Diofcoridis , has a ftrong 
tough firing, almoft Woody, running through the 
middle of each Root, which is to be taken away 
after the boiling, that they may be eaten with the 
more pleafure, which thisOrw Common Skirret has 
alfo, and which no other Root, that was then, or 
is now edible, has befides, for which alone reafon 
there is no doubt but this Our Siirret is the true 
Sifer , or Sifarum of the Ancients. 2. The other 
is called by the Arabians , as Jerapio , Secacul ; in 
Greek dyeuv, in Latine; Sifarum Sylveflre-, 
Sifer alterum , Sifer Syriacum ; in Englilh Wild 
Skirret , and White Carrot. Rauwotfius fays that 
this grows in JEgypt, and is there called alfo Sc- 
cacul , by the Arabick Name. 
The Defcriptions. 
III. The Firft, Or Our Common Skirret. It 
has a Root which is compelled of fever al fmall , long 
round, white Roots, fet together at one head, like 
to Afphodil : bunched out or uneven in many places , 
and rugged, or as it were wrinkled with all, and 
not fmooth, as divers other Roots are, each of which 
Skirret Garden. 
io 37 
has a fmall tough Pith within them , which being 
removed , the reft is very pie af ant to be eaten 
headofthefe Roots , rife up fever al Stalks 
oj Winged Leaves, fomething like to thofe of the 
Purfnep, but that they are f mailer, and Jet farther 
af under, fmoother , and greener, and alfo dented a- 
bout the edges. From among which rifes up the 
Stalk, little more than half the height of the Parf- 
nep, having at the Top, Umbels of White Flowers, 
which afterwards turn into fmall dark Seed fome- 
what larger than Parfly Seed. 
IV- Gerard defcribes this Plant after this manner. 
The Roots are many in number , growing out of one 
head, an hand breadth long, and mofl commonly not 
a finger thick -, they are Jweet, white, good to be 
an ^ pteafant in Tafe. Its Leaves do con- 
ffi of many fmall Leaves faflned to one Rib, each 
particular one whereof, is fomething Kicked in the 
Edges but they are lejfer, greener, and fmoother 
than thofe of the Parfnep. The Stalks are fhort, 
and feldom a Cubit high. And the Flowers which 
grow in fpoky Tufts are white. 
V. The fecond, or Wild Skirret. This has a 
long, tender and fmooth Root, grayijh on the out- 
ftde, and white within , as thick as ones finger, and 
eajy to be broken, and nine or ten Inches , or almoft 
a foot long, having fever al fmall knots or bunches 
thereon , like to Warts, of a pie af ant fwcet Tafie, 
Skirret Field or Wild. 
like unto our Carrots. From this Root rife up ma- 
ny Stalks of Winged Leaves, much divided and cut 
into many parts, not very unlike to Carrot Leaves. 
j ?l al p}"™ e jll° fucb like Leaves at the joints 
and Umbels of Flowers at the Tops, like unto them 
Jot form, but of a yellowifh color. 
VI. The Places The firft grows at Narbonne in 
France , as Label fays, but is fown with us, almoft 
every where in Gardens. Parkinfon fays, that it 
is rather Sown than Planted ; for Sown among 0 - 
Tiions , 
