The Botanist's Companion Part 23

The use and qualities of the cabbage are too well known to need any further description.

420. CAULIFLOWER. Bra.s.sica oleracea var.--The varieties are,

The Early. The Late.

The early cauliflower is sown in the first week in September, and usually sheltered under bell or hand gla.s.ses during the winter. By this means the crop is fit for table in the months of May and June.

The late sort is usually sown in the month of March, and planted out for a succession to the first crop.

421. CAPERS. Capparis spinosa.--This is the flower-pod before it opens of the above shrub, and is only kept as an ornamental plant here. I am induced to notice this plant, as I have known some things used in mistake for capers that are dangerous. I once saw an instance of this, in the seed-vessels of the Euphorbia Lathyris (which is a poisonous plant) being pickled by an ignorant person.

422. CAPSIc.u.m. Capsic.u.m annuum.--Cayenne pepper is made from a small variety of this plant.

We have many varieties cultivated here in hot-beds; namely, yellow and red, of various shapes, as long, round, and heart-shaped. All these are very useful, either pickled by themselves, or mixed with any other substances, as love-apple, radish pods, &c. to which they impart a very fine warm flavour.

423. CARROT. Daucus Carota.--

The Orange Carrot.--For winter use.

The Early Horn ditto.--For summer use.--The former is usually sown in March; the latter being smaller, and more early, is commonly raised on hot-beds. The Early Horn Carrot may likewise be sown in August, and is good all winter.

424. CELERY. Apium graveolens.--Celery is now so generally known as to render a description of the plant useless; nor need it be told, that the stalks blanched are eaten raw, stewed, &c. It should be used with great caution, if grown in wet land, as it has been considered poisonous in such cases. The season of sowing celery is in April. We have a variety of this, which is red, and much esteemed.

425. CELERIAC. This is a variety of the Apium graveolens. It is hollow in the stem, and the roots are particularly large: although this is much used in Germany, it is not so much esteemed by us as the celery.

426. CHAMPIGNON. Agaricus pratensis.--This plant is equal in flavour to the mushroom when boiled or stewed: it is rather dry, and has little or no scent whatever.

427. CHARDOONS. Cynara Cardunculus.--The gardeners blanch the stalks as they do celery; and they are eaten raw with oil, pepper, and vinegar; or, if fancy directs, they are also either boiled or stewed.

428. CHERVIL. Scandix Cerefolium.--This plant is so much used by the French and Dutch, that there is scarcely a soup or salad but what chervil makes part of it: it is grateful to the taste. See article oenanthe crocata in the Poisonous Plants.

429. CIVES. Allium Schoenoprasum.--This is an excellent herb for salads in the spring: it is also useful for soups, &c. &c. It is perennial, and propagated by its roots, which readily part at any season.

430. CLARY. Salvia Sclarea.--The seeds are sown in autumn. It is biennial. The recent leaves dipped in milk, and then fried in b.u.t.ter, were formerly used as a dainty dish; but now it is mostly used as a pot-herb, and for making an useful beverage called Clary Wine, viz.--Put four pounds of sugar to five gallons of water, and the alb.u.men of three eggs well beaten; boil these together for about sixteen minutes, then skim the liquor; and when it is cool, add of the leaves and blossoms two gallons, and also of yeast half a pint; and when this is completed, put it all together into a vessel and stir it two or three times a-day till it has done fermenting, and then stop it close for two months: afterwards draw it into a clean vessel, adding to it a quart of good brandy. In two months it will be fit to bottle.

431. COLEWORT. Bra.s.sica oleracea var.--This is a small variety of the common cabbage, which is sown in June, and planted out for autumn and winter use. These are often found to stand the severe frosts of our winter when the large sort of cabbages are killed; but its princ.i.p.al use with gardeners is, to have a crop that will occupy the land after the beans and pease are over, and perhaps Colewort is the most advantageous for such purposes.

432. CORN SALAD. Valeriana Locusta.--An annual, growing wild in Battersea fields, and many other parts of this kingdom.

It is usually sown in August, and stands the winter perfectly well; it is very similar to lettuce, and is a good subst.i.tute for it in the spring and winter seasons.

433. COSTMARY Tanacetum Balsamita.--Is used as a herb in salad. This is a perennial plant of easy culture.

434. CRESS. Lepidium sativum.--There are two varieties of cress, the curled and common. This is an ingredient with mustard in early salads.

435. CRESS, AMERICAN. Erysimum Barbarea.--This is cultivated for salads, and is much esteemed. It is increased by sowing the seeds in the spring.

This is only good in the winter and spring seasons.

436. CUc.u.mBERS. Cuc.u.mis sativus.--Many sorts of cuc.u.mbers are cultivated by gardeners. The most esteemed are,

The Southgate Cuc.u.mber. The Long p.r.i.c.kly. The Long Turkey. The White Spined.

The early crop is usually sown in hot-beds in the spring, and is a crop on which most gardeners have always prided themselves, each on his best mode of management of this crop. They will also grow if sown in April, and planted out in the open ground.

The short p.r.i.c.kly cuc.u.mber is grown for gerkins.

437. DILL. Anethum graveolens.--This is similar to fennel, and used in pickling. It is esteemed useful as a medicinal herb also; which see.

438. ENDIVE. Cichorium Endivia.--Of this we have three varieties in cultivation.