saliva Defiant hits tuberosus.—Jerusalem artichoke.
These come near to the potatoe in their sensible and nutritive properties. They are more mucilaginous and saccharine, and less palatable and nutritive.
Pastinaca saliva Parsnip Si11711 siscrum Skirret Scorzonera hi.spania Viper's grass .Tragolzogon Jzorrfoliam . . Salsafi Brassica rapa Turnip Daucus carroty Carrot.
These roots too abound in mucilage, and contain a small portion of the saccharine principle. When well boiled and softened, they are considerably nutritive, palatable, and digestible.
Beta vulgal'i8 Red beet — cycla White beet.
Beet root contains a large proportion of sugar. Both species are nutritive, but cannot be safely used in great quantity, as they are apt to induce flatulence and indi gestion ; and, from their sweetness, they are not very much relished.
The amylaceous matter, which we have observed to be the chief alimentary principle in the seeds of the gramina and leguminosx, and in the mots of different plants, is advantageously extracted from some vegeta bles, and prepared so as to form a nourishing and pa latable aliment; and, from being easily digested, ex tremely well adapted as an article of diet for the sick and convalescent; as, (*yeas eircinalis. Sago. Extracted from tho pith of the plant.
Jatropha manihot ? From the roots of which Tapioca is janipha 5 obtained.
Orchis ma.vcula &del/ is extracted from the roots of this and other species of orchis. Maranta arundinacea . . Indian arrow root.
A small quantity of any of these amylaceous substances, converts, by proper management, a large quantity of water into jelly, which, when lightly seasoned with su gar, and a little wine, forms a gently nourishing and agreeable food.
In some roots again the alimentary matter is found combined with an acrid principle, which, although they are used, renders them less fit for the purposes of ali ment. For example, .4lium cepa The onion porru 111 The leek •••••—•— Garlic asea lonieu 11 1 . . Shalot scorodoprasum . . . Roccambole The acrimony of the three last is so great, that they arc chiefly employed as condiments, and in the composition of sauces. The acrid principle of the onion and leek is
considerably lessened by boiling; and then they are lightly nutritive and mucilaginous. They disagree, however, with some constitutions.
Ran hanus sativ'us—The radish. This too is an acrid root, which, though much used, is but little nutritive, and very apt to produce flatulence and disorder of the stomach.
In those seeds which are called kernels, the drupa and nux, we find the nutritive farina combined with ve getable fixed oil.
This union of farina and oil renders these substances highly nutritious, and to most palates very agreeable. Yet they are of difficult solution and digestion, and do not upon the whole afford a very wholesome aliment. When too freely used, they are sure to disagree, to pro duce flatulence, thirst, nausea, pain of the stomach, and headach, more especially if from age the oil have be come rancid.
They should be considered rather as a delicacy than as fitted to form any considerable proportion of our daily food ; they ought to be sparingly used at any time.
The principal are, Corylus avellana . . . Hazel nut and filbev Juglans regia \Valnut A /71 ygdalus comnzznzis . . Almond Cocos nueiftra Cocoa nut ?lward:1m occidentale . . Cashew nut Theobroma cacao Chocolate nut.
Chocolate, which is prepared from the last, forms a well known wholesome nutritious aliment, employed in many cases as a restorative. Cocoa, which is pre pared from the same nut, is less oily, and, upon the whole, better adapted to general use than the choco late.
The fixed oil, which we have said is one of the nu tritive principles contained in vegetables, is extracted from some by expression ; and when thus separated from the farinaceous and other principles, is used as aliment. The best oil is unquestionably that obtained from the fruit of the Olea Europaw Olive oil.
Good oil, though inferior to the olive, is also obtained from the seeds of the following : Corylus avellana . . . . Nut oil Juglans regia Palaver somniferum . . Poppy oil ?inzygdalus communis . . . Almond oil Brassica rape campestris . . • Rape seed oil.