439. Sauce alone, or Jack by the 411i aria, L. ; English Botany, t. 796 ) is sometimes is , either in sauce, as a salad, or boiler as a pot-herb. AV ten ga thered as it approaches the flowering state, boned sepa rately, and then eaten to boiled mutton, it certainly Forms a desirable pot-herb. To any kind of salted meat it will be found an excellent green. Being not unfrequent by the sides of hedges, in a natural state, it has seldom been rais ed in gardens.
440. Samphire (Crithn2um maritimum, L. ; English Bota ny, t. 819.) is well known as forming a very good pickle, and also a piquant addition to a salad. It grows among rocks on the precipitous shores of some parts of England, particularly Kent and Cornwall, and of Galloway in Scot land. It is the plant alluded to by Shakespeare in his cele brated description of Dover cliffs: It is a perennial plant, and is propagated by parting the roots, or by seed sown in the spring. it is not easily culti vated. It seems to succeed best on a rich light soil, hav ing sand and gravel mixed with it. It must be in a well sheltered situation, and requires to be freely watered in dry weather, till the roots have struck deep among the soil and gravel. Mr Marshall mentions, that it has been found to do well in pots, set for the morning sun only. If a few plants can be got to take deep root in an old wall, or on an artificial rock-work, they will have a much better chance to remain. The name samphire is a corruption of sampler, and this again is derived from the French name of the plant Saint Pierre. It may be observed, that what is called got den samphire in Covent Garden market, is the Inula crith mifolia, Eng. Bot. t. 68 ; and that the Marsh samphi•e of the same market, is the Salicornia herbacea, Eng. Bot. t. 415.
441. Buck's-horn Plantain (Plantago coronopus, L.) was formerly cultivated as a salad herb, but is now neglected, the smell being to many rank and disagreeable. It is still, however, regularly sown in French gardens as a salad herb, under the name of Corne de Cerf 442. The young leaves of the Ox-eye Daisy (Chrysan themum leucanthemum, L.) are noticed by Dr Withering as fit to be eaten in salads ; and John Bauliin mentions that they were much used for that purpose in Italy.
443. The Cotton Thistle (Ono/zorduin acanthium, L. ;
English Botany, t. 977.) is a biennial, growing naturally in different places, and remarkable for its large downy leaves and lofty stem, It was formerly cultivated and used like the artichoke and cardoon ; the receptacle, and the tender blanched stalks, peeled and boiled, being the parts used.
444. 41exanders (Snzyrnium Olusatrunz, L. English Bo tany, t. 230.) is a biennial plant, rising about two feet high, and flowering in the spring ; the leaves of a pale green co lour, and the flowers yellowish. It grows naturally near the sea in several places, and may often be observed to be naturalized near old buildings. It was formerly much cul tivated, having been used as a port•herb and salad. In fla vour it has some resemblance to celery ; by which it has been entirely supplanted.
445 Water Cress (Nasturtium officinale, Hort. Kew. ; Stsymbrium Nasturtium. L. ; English Botany, t. 855.) IS a welt known perennial inhabitant of our ditches and slow running streams. It forms an excellent spring salad ; and it is easily cultivated in any marshy spot, or by the side of a garden pond, by introducing a few plants from dui hes where it grows wild. The popular remedy called sfiring juices consists of its juices, with those of Brooklime, scnr vy-grass, and Seville oranges : it is therefore cultivated by a few market gardeners for the supply of Covent Gar den. In France, the sprigs are used as a garnish to roast fowl. • 446 Brookline (Veronica bcccabunga. L. ; English Bo tany, t. 655.) is a•peremlial plant, growing in wet places near Nu tugs, and in slow running streams or ditches, very generally associated with the water-cress. The leaves are mild, or have only a slightly bitterish taste, and form a very tolerable salad ingredient in March and April. In Scot lond the plant is called water fiurpie, and the sprigs are gathered for sale along with wall-cresscs (well or water cresses.) 447 The young tops and leaves of the Great Nettle (Unica dioica, L. ; English Botany, t. 1750) are gathered in early spring, about February, as a pot-herb, and form a tolerably good one. Nettle-kail is an old Scottish dish, now known only by name. If nettle-tops be wanted, they can readily be had without cultivating the plant.