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104 SECT. IX,—PLANTS USED FOR CULINARY PURPOSES.

Those are sown usually in June and July, and planted out for usein the autumn and winter. Endive is well known as forming a princi-pal p:u't of our winter salads j for which purpose, it is usual with gar-deners to blanch it, by tying the plants up together, and laying themin dry places.

439. ESCHALOT. Allium ascalomrum. —-This species of alliumis very pungent: its scent is not unpleasant, but is very strong, and,in general, it is preferred to the onion for making soups and gravies.It is propagated by planting the bulbs in September or October:tney are fit to take up in May and June, when they are dried andkept for use.

440. FENNEL. Anetham Fceniculum. —The use of this plant is $owell known in the kitchen, as to render an account of it useless. Itis propagated by sowing seeds in the spring.

441. GARLICK. Allium sativum. —This is used in the art of cook-ery in various ways, for soups, pickles, &.c. It is cultivated by plant-ing the small cloves or roots in the month of October. It is (it to pullup in spring j and the roots are dried for use.

442. GOURD. Cucurbita. Melopepo. — The inhabitants of NorthAmerica boil the squash or melon gourds when about the size of smalloranges, and eat them with their meat. The pulp is used with sourapples to make pies. In scarcity it is a good substitute for fruit.

443- KOHLRABHl, or TaRNEP-RooTi-n Cabbage. Brassica Rapavar.—'YVe have two kinds of this in cultivation $ but although theseare both much eaten in Germany, they are not esteemed with us : infaot, we have so many varieties of the cabbage kind all the yearround for culinary purposes, that nothing could much improve them.In countries further north than we are, this is probably an acquisition,as, from its hardiness, it is likely to stand the frost better than someof the more delicate varieties.

444. LEEKS. Allium Porrum. — There are two kinds of leeks : theWelsh and London.

Leeks are used principally in soups; they partake much of the na-ture of onions, but for this purpose are in general more esteemed.This plant has been so long cultivated in this country, that its nativeplace is not known.

The seeds are sown in the spring, and it is in use all the winter.

445.many.

LETTUCE.They are,

Lactuca saliva. — The varieties of lettuce are