June 16. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
193 
M 
W 
JUNE 16 — 22 , 1853. 
Weather near London in 1852. 
Sun 
Sun 
Moon 
R. & S. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
D 
D 
Barometer. 
Thermo. 
Wind. 
Bain in In. 
Rises. 
Sets. 
af. 
Sun. 
Year. 
16 
Th 
Poplar Hawk; poplars. 
;29.115 
— 29.394 
68—40 
S.W. 
40 
44 a. 3 
1/ a. 8 
■ 
1 12 
10 
0 
19 
32 
167 
1 Or 
17 
F 
Elephant Hawk ; gardens. 
29.490 
— 29.437 
67—50 
s. 
09 
44 
1 7 
1 31 
11 
0 
IS 
s 
Scarce Elephant ; Devon. 
29.576 
— 29.538 
66—52 
s. 
30 
44 
17 
1 51 
12 
0 
44 
169 
170 
171 
172 | 
19 
Sun 
I Sunday after Trinity. 
29.750 
— 29.578 
69—49 
S.W. 
12 
44 
18 
2 16 
13 
0 
57 
20 
M 
Queen Victoria Ascension. 
29-780 
-29.577 
69—56 
s. 
05 
44 
18 
2 49 
14 
1 
10 
21 
Tu 
Queen Victoria Proclaimed. 
29.622 
— 29.541 
68—46 
S.W. 
02 
45 
18 
rises. 
(y) 
1 
23 
22 
vV 
Sun’s decl., 23° 27' N. 
29.745 
— 29.628 
68—51 
S.W. 
— 
45 
19 
10 a 4 
ie 
1 
36 
173 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-six years, the average highest and lowest tempera¬ 
tures of these days are 73.1° and 50.3° respectively. The greatest heat, 93°, occurred on the 22nd in 1816 : and the lowest cold,36°. on the 22nd 
in 1851. During the period 102 days were fine, and on 82 rain fell. 
We cannot say, with Shakspere’s rebel, “ I think this 
word Sallet was born to do me good,” but we can say, 
that an enquiry concerning it has suggested to us the 
gathering together some of our notes relative to a very 
seasonable subject. It is seasonable, because, in summer, 
few are they who do not give a hearty welcome to “ the 
salad bowl;” and it is seasonable, because the Horti¬ 
cultural Society has, at length, been led back to its 
prime object—utility—and shews this return to good 
sense by offering prizes for “ The best collection oe 
Salad plants.” “ Why does Evelyn call them Aceta- 
reous plants?” is the query that has led us to the subject. 
“ It is not from acetum, vinegar, adds our interrogator, 
because such plants usually are called acedarict, in the 
classics.” 
With submission, we entertain a contrary opinion. 
The best authorities, and the best editions of these 
authorities, are uniformly contrary to our correspon¬ 
dent's assertion. Wo have before us one of the best 
editions of Pliny, and there (1. xix. c. 4,) we have it 
“ unde et acetaria appellantur The whole passage is 
worth translating—“ Formerly, the products of gardens 
were most approved, for they are always ready for use, 
! and speedily prepared—they require no fire, and, there¬ 
fore, fuel is economized. Thence they were called 
acetaria; they are easily served up.” Besides, we will 
now quote an old translator of Pliny, “ Besides, light 
they are of digestion; they breed no heaviness in the 
head; they offend not the brain, nor any of the senses; 
and, least of anything, make quarrel to the loaf, and 
spend little bread.” 
In those days of simple-mannered Rome, the prepa¬ 
ration of the salad was a brief employment—for “ the 
Roman supper, a radish and an egg” was no poetical 
exaggeration. Luxury, however, soon included even 
the salad within its intricacies and exaggerations. 
Columella lived in the days of the Emperors, and then 
even the Roman salads became imperial. “ Put into a 
mortar—says this associate of Claudius—Savory, Mint, 
Rue, Coriander, Dill, sliced Leek, or, in its absence, 
green Onion, the leaves of Lettuce, and of Rocket, green 
Thyme, green Pennyroyal, and salt new Cheese. Bruise 
these together thoroughly, and mix with them a little 
peppered vinegar. Put the mixture in a deep dish, and 
pour over it oil. When those green herbs have been 
well bruised, mix with them the cleansed (skinned) 
kernels of walnuts, as many as your taste prefers; 
j thoroughly incorporate with the mass a little peppered- 
vinegar, and jiour oil over the whole.” Nor were they 
ignorant that a gleam of sweetness and of higher savour 
would improve “ the herbaceous treat;” for Honey and 
pickled Fish ( Oarum ), the counterpart of our Anchovy, 
are mentioned as desirable additions. 
A Dean ol St. Paul’s has recorded, even in rhyme, 
that a salad artistically prepared “ Would tempt a dying 
anchorite to eat;” and another authority has anathe¬ 
matized the blundering monster who neglected to bring 
the herbs cool and crisp to the very margin of the salad- 
bowl—“ I’were well to mix it standing in an icehouse.” 
Modern authorities have been strangely neglectful 
and silent upon these preliminary cares. Not so were 
those of a previous century; and even Batty Langley, 
in a quarto dedicated to royalty, gives the followiug 
“ Directions for the gathering, ordering, and dressing of a Sallet. 
“ In the choice of sallets observe, 
“First, that the kinds are young and delicate. 
“ Secondly, that they are picked very clean from imperfect, 
slimy, &c., leaves. 
“ Thirdly, that each kind be washed separately in two 
clean waters. 
“Fourthly, that they are well drained in a cullender, and 
afterwards swing’d dry in a clean napkin. 
“ Fifthly and lastly, that every sort be proportion'd as 
directed in the preceding sections, and laid singly in the 
dish, in such a manner, as to form a pyramidical, or other 
agreeable figure. 
“ N. B. That during the months of January, February, and 
March, sallets may be cut at any time of the day; hut when 
the weather increases in heat, the best time to gather or cut 
a sallet, is about eight or nine of the clock in the morning, to 
be afterwards kept in a cool place, till within one hour before 
it is eaten, at which time, it should be washed as before 
directed, and not immediately before it is eaten, as practised 
by many. 
“ And when you are obliged to cut a sallet in very hot 
weather, put it into spring water for the space of half-an- 
hour or more, and then take it out, and order it as before 
directed. 
“ And having thus gather’d and wash’d your sallet, the 
next work is the dressing, wherein observe," 
“ First, that the oil be very clean, smooth, light, and 
perfectly sweet, without any sort of rancid smell. 
“Secondly, that the vinegar, or other acid, be perfectly 
clear and fresh. 
, “ Thirdly, that the salt be of the brightest and best refined 
kind, and moderately dry. 
“ Fourthly, when sugar is used, that it be the very best 
refined. 
“ Fifthly, that the vinegar, salt, and sugar, be proportioned 
to the heat or cold of the stomach, as near as can be. 
“ Sixthly, that the sallet be composed of such herbs as 
are agreeable to both weather and constitution. 
“ N. B. That sallets should be so chosen, as to be agree¬ 
able to both weather and constitution, as is said before, viz., 
those which are hot, for cold weather and cold stomachs; 
the temperate ones for temperate weather, and the very cool 
ones, for very hot weather, as well as hot stomachs. 
No. CCXLVI, Vol. X. 
