1 12 SECT. X.— CULINARY PLANTS NOT IN CULTIVATION.

it might be turned to good account as an article of food, and that, inall likelihood, of the most wholesome kind.

Bryant thinks it was much esteemed by the monks, and states that ithas, ever since the destruction of the abbeys in this country, remain-ed in many places growing among the rubbish : hence the reason ofits being found wild in such places.

481. ALEXANDERS, Round-leaved. Smymium perfdiaheni. —It is said that the leaves and stalks boiled ate more pleasant to thetabte than the other kind of Alexanders.

482. ARROWHEAD. Sagiltaria sagiltifolia. — The roots of thisplant are said to be very sin.ilar to the West-India arrow-root. Theyare sometimes dried and pounded, but are reported to have an acridunpleasant taste; but this might perhaps be got rid of by washing thepowder iu water.

483. BLACKBERRY. Rubusfruticosus. — The berries of this plantare well known in the country ; but if too many be eaten, they are aptto cause swelling in the stomach, sickness, &c.

434. BRIONY, Black. Tamus communis. —Although this is con-sidered a poisonous plant, the young leaves and shoots are eaten boiledby the common people in the spring.

48.5. BURDOCK. Arctium Lappa.—Mr. Bryant in his Flora Di<c~tetica says that many people eat the tender stalks of this plant boiledas asparagus.

486. BURNET. Sanguisorba officinalis. —The young leaves forma good ingredient in salads. They have somewhat the havour of cu-cumbers.

487. BUTTER WORT. Pinguicula vulgaris. — The inhabitants ofLapland and the north of Sweden give to milk the consistence of creamby pouring it warm from the cow upon the leaves of this plant, andthen instantly straining it and laying it aside for two or three days tillit acquires a degree of acidity.

This milk they are extremely fond of; and once made, they neednot repeat the use of the leaves as above, for a spoonful or less of itwill turu another quantity of warm milk, and m.ike it like the lirst,and so on, as often as they please to renew their food. — LightfoofsFlor. Scot. p. 77.

488. CHAMPIGNON. Agaricus pralensis. —There is little or noitnell to be perceived in this plant, and it is rather dry ; yet when