enpsicuiT), caper, samphire, and the red cabbage, Indian cress, radish, kidneybean, marsh
marigold, &c. included in other sections.
3436. Edible indigenous plants neglected, or not in cultivation; comprehending the sea-
bect, nettle, sea-peas, and a vai'iety of other natives.
3437. Foreign haixly herbaceous vegetables, little used as such in Britain ; comprehending
the Ciaytonfa and Basélla spinach, the maize, the bread-root, &c.
3438. Edible British fu n g i; comprehending the mushroom, truffle, and morel.
3439. Edible British fu c i ; coniprchcndmg the dulse, tangle, &c.
3440. Most o fth e vegetables in the preceding classification arc propagated by seeds, and
these seeds the gardener, for the greater part, purchases annually from the seedsman ;
raising only in his own garden some few of the more select or important kinds. It
follows from this, that the qualities of the seeds vary exceedingly, not only according to
the season in whicli they may liavc been grown, bnt according to tho means of the
seedsmen for procuring the best varieties. Experience also shows that the varieties of
the more cominon culinary vegetables in cultivation arc continually changing from soil,
culture, climate, or other causes ; so that a sort of pea, or cabbage, or onion, which is
very poiiular one year, may, in tlircc or four years, be almost forgotten. Vai'ieties also
are continually changing thcir names, and often many names are applied to one variety.
Hence a number of the varieties enumerated in the following catalogue were not known
when the first edition of this Encyclopædia was prepared in 1820; a n d a number of
those mentioned in that edition are now nearly forgotten. From all this it follows, that
the business of procuring garden seeds is one uf very great difficulty, though it is one of
the greatest importance to the cultivator, since a bad variety requires the same care and
attention as a good one, while it produces an inferior article, or perhaps fails altogether.
As no gardener can grow all or even the greater part of the seeds which he requires, he
must necessarily deal with seedsmen ; and, as a matter of prudence, lie should choose
one in whom he has perfect confidence. He should also give a certain latitude in his
orders as to new varieties, always requesting to have sent to him, in addition to the usual
sorts, any new sorts ivhich may be considered superior. I t were much to be desired,
that seedsmen would print thcir catalogues annually, instead of once in every four or five
years ; and that they would include in them aU the synonymes, distinguishing them
as such, and not introducing them as distinct sorts. This would greatly reduce the
apparent number of vai'ieties, and much simplify the business both of gai-dencr and
seedsman. As the seed business is at present caiTicd on, tlicrc are perhaps twenty
names in a list for which there are not more than ten, or sometimes not even five distinct
articles ; but the seedsman answers orders for the wliole of the twenty names, by sending
out the same sorts under several names ; thus perpetuating throughout the coimtry a
number of names which can only serve to create confusion. In the following catalogue,
we have simplified the lists as much as possible ; in which task we have had the invaluable
assistance of jMr. Munro, of the London Horticultural Society’s Gai'den, where
nearly all the culinary vegetables of Europe have been grown, compared, and. had thcir
momenclature adjusted ; of some of the most experienced seedsmen in London, and of
M. Vilmorin, the flrst seedsman in France.
3441. A p a r t o f the articles in the following catalogue being perennials, arc chiefly
propagated by division, or by tubers or roots ; and these also the gardener must purchase
from the nurseryman. There are few of these, however, which are not distinct species,
or subspecies ; and, consequently, there is much less room for error and deception than
in the case of seeds.
S e c t . I. The Cabbage Tribe.
3442. The cabbage tribe is of all culinary vegetables the most ancient, as weU as the
most extensively cultivated. The j5rássica olerácea, Tetrad. Siliq. Linn, and Crucîferæ
Juss., figured in Eng. B o t, t. 637., being extremely liable to sport, or ran into vai'ieties
and monstrosities, has, in the com-se of time, become the parent of a numerous race of
culinary productions, so various in their habit and appeai'ance, that to many it may
appear not a little extravagant to refer them to the same origin. Besides the different
sorts of white and red cabbage, and savoys, which form their leaves into a head, there
are vaiious sorts of borecoles, which grow with thcir leaves loose in tlie natm-al way, and
there are several kinds of cauliflower and broccoli, wliich form a head of their stalks or
flower-buds. All these, fr-om the tree cabbage growing to the height of twelve feet, to
the colza, and some other varieties, which, before they come into bloom, seldom exceed
a foot in height, including the turnip-rooted cabbage and the Brussels sprouts, claim a
common origin from the single species of J5rassica above mentioned. Cabbage was a
favom-ite culinary vegetable with the Romans, and there can be little doubt that it would
follow in the train of their victories into other countries ; and wlicre this people did not
introduce it by conquest, their successors probably did so during the spread of religious
corporations. Hence we may conclude that the cabbage must have been known in
TH E CABBAGE TRIBE.
England before the commcneement of the Christian era, and that in Ireland and the
most noithcra parts of Scotland, it wonld find its way with tlic establishment of monasteries
m the dark ages. This general remark will apply to all the culinary veo-etablcs
and fmits eu tivated by the Homans. Tho cabbage, in a^wild state, is a b í c é te n „ c ?
glows naturally on the sca-shoro in different parts of England, more particulariy at
Dover, where it is abundant on the eliidk cliffs, and at P en z li.e e ; in both win“
it IS sometimes used by the inliabitants. '
P i - é / n e i T n «rrangmimt of tho cultivated specieo o f Tiráoowa iias been made by
Piof. Decandolle (see Hort B n t , p. 2 6 3 .¥ but, for garden puiqioses, we shall adopt
the usual divisions of white or green close-headed cabbages, red or purple closc-licadcd
cn b b ap s blistered or Savoy close-headed cabbages, Brussels sprouts, borecoles or opcii-
b / £ d i ™"taflowers, and broccolis. AH these varieties are generally propagated
by seed ; but t h p may all be also propagated by cuttings ; and this mode has in some
cases, been found the best with certain varieties. ’
S u b s ec t . 1. White Cabbage.— 'Brisska olerácea var. a capitata L . aud Dec Chou
S s ” a é f r a i» i ? r r '* ^ ^ « ‘tateLl.Dnteb; CuSa. S '!
3444. The common garden cabbage is too wcU known, and too miiversanv used to
Né™nbra^fi produces in Briti,sli gardens, i j m May to
i t e i i t e d 4irt gro™. 0 1 - grecnisIi-ycUow extcrnallv, but
bhinclied within; and vai-ynig, m different sorts, from tlirec to tivclvc or fifteen ii chcré
diameter, and from two to fifteen or tiventy pounds’ weight.
3445. Subvarieties. These aro very numerous : the sorts chiefly cultivated a r e ^
Une e a rly re n to ii, P e iito tu rlc d . iivO le , C o rn isli oi
7- sugarloaf, large hollow sugar-
8. VanacHy.
1- KnighVs early.
2. SmaU early dwarf,
dwarf.
3. E a r ly York, Early dwarf York.
4. E a r ly Jiatterseo, East Ham, Early
imi.crial, or Fulham.
o. E a r ly dtuarfstugaa-loaf
9. Portugal, Large-ribbed or Couve
Tronchuda.
10. Ewarf I’ortugaU
11. Fteld cabbage, Scotcli, Strasburg, or
drumhead.
12. Matchless. 13. NoupareiU
mm rdé ‘«s lni>¿ irtt hhtootfbi'e d or framer, etroe® n u rtu re t®he"' ™pl a“nts" ’t"iUll tthhee lmeaiv,Iedsl ea orcf Facnb riunachfy oarn df- wthne mji dddk crfM™},"’
to »pre e t t e h . ‘fore to gai., strength fer fnlal‘S s ^ l a n í i ^ ; ; ;
f ropagaiion by cuUivgs. This mode is practised in the Brazils, and has been adonfpH h,r
cOTa..OnTOtOoTArA.OsTOeT tPhilee w» vouuuniidueudu putaiirLt ;: i1n11 mm ee s u m m e r tw e n iv - i n i i r h
y F'Wt, which assist in ca?ten?7?g't‘he womfo LncUfolinSeed” mg. Plant the slips thus prepared, and then, after cutting tlie cabbages, the sprouts
fo« - L*’ 7 ’ siJccession of cabbages is secured throughout the whol? vA? S
.situation. The soil for seedlings should be liffiit and
nch.^ Where m a r^ t-g a rd e n e rs raise great quantities of seedling ca b b r-’-
..OT.,. ,, ....u^u-s^iueiieiü raise great quantities seedlin'£rabba^es7(??f¥d thlLvmtcTm
sold for transplanting in spring, they choose in II general the poorest
poorest and stiffest 5ecí?tM-lnd
more ¿p e c ia ly in Scotland, where large autumnal sowings"of winter d?umhÍad and^^^^^ s í? L
annually made, and where the stiffoess of the soil gives a peculiar firm n eT o rte v tn ra %
constitution to the plants, and prevents their being thrown out of the S S i n g S '
a frasty winter. Transplanted ¿b b ag es require a rich mould, ra the r c!ay?y fhín
and Nicol observe, it can scarcely be too much manured, as thev are an exhaufoin« crfo£ a. , / ,
plan ta tio n / iiftended to stand the winter, should have a dry soil, well dug and manured and of a ¿
fí.n T '® final plantatfon e ™ q u i r ? an o n e S
re ?g re¥LSLS aA et"an ?ifS . ^ 0 ^ S p f
for s o m n g jiis crop, it being found that two or tffree days earlier or l ite r
weeks’ difference in th e time of heading; and even, in sín ie cases, will p rev ln t S i n
mg the g r ¿ i n g season so late in ¿ ic succeeding summer that th e plants run to seed. lixpeVience provA
that, tor the latitudeot London, the first or second week in August is tho time mn<f cnnfl.iciv«
success, though some sow at the close of July, to haye the plants .stronger before the approach of winter;
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