THE ORCHIS 
189 
Salep is a farinaceous substance; made from the roots 
of several kinds of orchis, and chiefly imported into this 
country from the south of Europe, where fields of these 
plants are cultivated for the purpose of procuring it. The 
same substance, not at all inferior in value to the foreign 
produce, has been obtained from the orchis root of our 
meadow ; and it is to be regretted that its culture is not 
attempted in England. 
The roots of all European orchises consist of two knobs, 
which are either of a globular form or, like that of the 
purple orchis, palmate (shaped like the hand). On one of 
these bulbs is produced the flower of the summer ; and this 
dying away towards the decline of the year, the other re- 
mains to bear the blossom of the succeeding vernal season ; 
while, in the meantime, a third bulb is formed on the side 
opposite to the decayed knob. In consequence of this 
mode of growth, the plant advances every year about half 
an inch from its original position ; and will, of course, in 
a number of years, if undisturbed, have made a consider- 
able progress over a meadow-bank or other plot of ground. 
Children in the country, who have detected this move- 
ment by watching some favourite root, call the orchises 
walking plants. A somewhat similar structure of the root 
accounts for the movements of some plants in our gardens 
which, in the course of a few successive seasons, vary their 
places of growth. 
There is no substance of the same bulk which contains 
so great a portion of nutriment as salep; and it has on 
this account been recommended as a valuable addition to 
the store of vessels desinged for long voyages. Several 
medical men have urged its more frequent use. When 
dissolved in boiling water it forms a rich jelly, which not 
only affords a nourishing diet, but is an excellent pre- 
ventive of the complaints most likely to arise from sea 
voyages. One ounce mixed with two quarts of hot water 
Avill furnish a sufficient quantity of soup for a man’s daily 
consumption. 
Salep is in many warm climates much used as food. 
The Turks employ it at every meal. The Eastern mode 
of preparing it is by washing the roots of the several kinds 
of orchis ; and, the skin being thus removed, they are 
hung in the sun to dry. This process of preparation much 
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