The Botanist's Companion Part 28

517. PEAS, EARTH-NUT. Orobus tuberosus.--The roots of this, when boiled, are said to be nutritious. The Scotch Highlander chews the root as a subst.i.tute for tobacco.

518. PILEWORT. Ranunculus Ficaria.--The young leaves in spring are boiled by the common people in Sweden, and eaten as greens. The roots are sometimes washed bare by the rains, so that the tubercles appear above ground; and in this state have induced the ignorant in superst.i.tious times to fancy that it has rained wheat, which these tubercles sometimes resemble.

519. SALEP. Orchis Morio.--The powder of these roots is used for a beverage of that name. This is imported chiefly from Turkey. It grows in this country, although it is never noticed: the roots are smaller than those imported, but will answer the purpose equally well.

520. SALTWORT. Salicornia europaea.--This is gathered on the banks of the Thames and Medway, and brought to London, where it is sold as samphire.

It makes a very good pickle, but by no means equal to the true kind.

521. SAMPHIRE. Crithmum maritimum.--This has long been in much esteem as a pickle: it grows on the high cliffs on the Kentish coast, where people make a trade of collecting it by being let down from the upper part in baskets. A profession of great danger.

522. SCURVY-GRa.s.s. Cochlearia officinalis.--The leaves are hot and pungent, but are considered very good, and frequently eaten between bread and b.u.t.ter.

523. SAUCE ALONE. Erysimum Alliaria.--This is very good boiled with salt-meat in the spring, when other vegetables are scarce. It is valuable to the poor people; and is, in general, a common plant under hedges.

524. SEA BINDWEED. Convolvulus Soldanella.--This plant is to be found plentifully on our maritime coasts, where the inhabitants plucks the tender stalks, and pickle them. It is considered to have a cathartic quality.

525. SEA-PEAS. Pisum maritimum.--These peas have a bitterish disagreeable taste, and are therefore rejected when more pleasant food is to be got. In the year 1555 there was a great famine in England, when the seeds of this plant were used as food, and by which thousands of families were preserved.

526. SEA-WORMWOOD. Artemisia maritima.--Those who travel the country in searching after and gathering plants, if they chance to meet with sour or ill-tasted ale, may amend it by putting an infusion of sea-wormwood into it, whereby it will be more agreeable to the palate, and less hurtful to the stomach.--Threlkeld. Syn. Pl. Hibern.

This is an ingredient in the common purl, the usual morning beverage of our hardy labouring men in London.

527. SEA-ORACH, GRa.s.s-LEAVED. Atriplex littoralis.--This plant is eaten in the same manner as the Chenopodium.

528. SEA-BEET. Beta maritima.--This is a common plant on some of our sea-coasts. The leaves are very good boiled, as are also the roots.

529. SILVER-WEED. Potentilla anserina.--The roots of this plant taste like parsneps, and are frequently eaten in Scotland either roasted or boiled.

In the islands of Tiras and Col they are much esteemed, as answering in some measure the purposes of bread, they having been known to support the inhabitants for months together during a scarcity of other provisions. They put a yoke on their ploughs, and often tear up their pasture-grounds with a view to get the roots for their use; and as they abound most in barren and impoverished soils, and in seasons when other crops fail, they afford a most seasonable relief to the inhabitants in times of the greatest scarcity. A singular instance this of the bounty of Providence to these islands.--Lightfoot's Fl. Scot.

530. SOLOMON'S-SEAL. Convallaria Polygonatum.--The roots are made into bread, and the young shoots are eaten boiled.

531. SPATLING-POPPY. Cucubalus Behen.--Our kitchen-gardens scarcely afford a better-flavoured vegetable than the young tender shoots of this when boiled. They ought to be gathered when they are not above two inches long. If the plant was in cultivation, no doubt but what it would be improved, and would well reward the gardener's trouble: it sends forth a vast quant.i.ty of sprouts, which might be nipped off when of a proper size; and there would be a succession of fresh ones for at least two months.

It being a perennial too, the roots might be transplanted into beds like those of asparagus.--Bryant's Fl. Diaetetica, p. 64.

532. SPEEDWELL. Veronica spicata.--This is used by our common people as a subst.i.tute for tea, and is said to possess a somewhat astringent taste, like green tea.

533. SPOTTED HAWKWEED. Hypochaeris maculata.--The leaves are eaten as salad, and are also boiled.

534. STINGING-NETTLE. Urtica dioica.--The young shoots in the spring are eaten boiled with fat meat, and are esteemed both wholesome and nutritive.

535. SHRUBBY STRAWBERRY. Rubus arcticus.--The fruit of this plant is very similar in appearance to a strawberry: its odour is of the most grateful kind; and its flavour has that delicate mixture of acid and sweet, which is not to be equalled by our best varieties of that fruit.

536. SWEET CICELY. Scandix odorata.--The leaves used to be employed in the kitchen as those of cervil. The green seeds ground small, and used with lettuce or other cold salads, give them an agreeable taste. It also grows in abundance in some parts of Italy, where it is considered as a very useful vegetable.

537. WATER-CRESS. Sisymbrium Nasturtium.--A well known herb in common use, but is not in cultivation, although it is one of our best salads.

538. WILLOW-HERB. Epilobium angustifolium.--The young shoots of these are eaten as asparagus.