FRUITS AND ROOTS.

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The Jerusalem artichoke is a native of Brazil, but having beenlong cultivated in this country, it is too well known to need unvdescription. From its taste, which is like that of artichoke-bot-toms, it would seem to be nutritious, and is far from being- unpleas-ant to the palate. Some reckon it windy, but this may be cor-rected iu the cooking, by warm spices ; and as the plant is veryproductive, we would recommend it to be used in the same man-ner as potatoes, and the other farinaceous roots.

Of the esculent roots in this country, the parsnip is reckonedthe most nourishing. It is likewise of easy digestion, and isagreeable to most palates. Some, indeed, dislike it on account ofits sweetness; but that is a proof of its nutritive quality, sugarbeing the most nourishing thing in nature. We are told that, inrhe north of Ireland, the poor people make beer from this root.

There is not any plant that affords a more striking proof of thebenefits of culture than the turnip. In its wild state it is good forlittle or nothing ; but when properly cultivated, it not only affordswholesome nourishment for man, but furnishes the principal win-ter-food for cattle. There is a species of this plant which growsin North Britain, called the yellow turnip, which is sweet, and ofa superior quality to those produced in the south, particularlyabout London, which are bitter and stringy. The yellow turnip isthe most nourishing, and also the most hardy in sustaining thewinter. It is eaten with milk to cure the consumption and scur\y.Margraaf says, he c.onM extract no sugar from the turnip, whichaffords ground to conclude, that it is not so nutritive as certainother roots. Not only the root of the turnip, but the tops, whenyoung, make very pleasant greens. The sprouts, if gathered whenvery tender, make an excellent salad.

The carrot, like the turnip, is good for little m its natural state,being small, tough, and stringy. Manured, it grows large, succu-lent, and of a pleasant flavour. It ought, however, to be eatenyoung, otherwise it lies on the stomach, and is hard of digestion.It is an ingredient in several soups, and, being solid, may in somemeasure supply the place of bread.

Salsafy, skirrets, and the several kinds of beets, are all pleasantand nourishing. They are likewise of easy digestion, and maybe dressed in a variety of ways. Margraaf has, by experiments,discovered, that both skirrets and beets contain a considerablequantity of sugar. Though the extracting a saccharine salt fromthese plants may be no object while we possess the West Indiaislands, yet it serves to show that they possess a quantity of nutri-tious matter, sufficient to give them a rank among the articles cal-culated to supply the place of bread.

The onion, we are told, was a great favourite in Egypt fourthousand years ago, and Dr. Hasselquist says, it is not to be won-dered at, for whoever has tasted the onions of Egypt must allowthat none can be better in any part of the globe. There, he says,they are sweet, though in many countries they are strong and nau-seous. There they are soft, whereas in northern countries, theyare hard, and their coats so compact, that they are difficult todigest. This very quality may, however, recommend them i«countries where food is scarce. The Doctor observes, that the

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