Part 27

A great many members of this order are poisonous, among which the Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladonna) is the most virulent, there are also Henbane and Tobacco, both strong poisons; but, to compensate for this bad character, the order contains one of the most useful vegetables used in Europe--the Potato. This is the tuber of the "Solanum tuberosum." The following account of the introduction of the Potato into England is from the "Penny Cyclopædia":--

"Queen Elizabeth, in 1584, granted a patent 'for planting and discovering in new countries, not possessed by Christians,' and, under this sanction, some ships, principally equipped by Sir Walter Raleigh, sailed with him to America. Thomas Harriott (afterwards known as a mathematician) who accompanied the adventurous squadron, transmitted to England the description of a plant, called Openawk by the natives of that part of America, which the courtier-like gallantry of Raleigh had named 'Virginia.' Harriott described the Openawk as having the roots round, and 'hanging together as if fixed on ropes, and good for food either boiled or roasted.' Girarde in his Herbal a few years subsequently, distinguished the plant by a plate, and not only confirmed the assertion that it was an indigenous production of Virginia, whence he himself had obtained it, but supplied some curious details of its qualities, and of the various modes in which it might be dressed for the table. But the Potatoe had been known in Spain and Portugal at an earlier period, and it is from the latter country that we most directly derive the name by which we know it. This is easily shown; although the natives of South America called the plant by the name 'Openawk,' those of the South, more particularly the inhabitants of the mountains of Quito, called it 'Papas,' which the Spaniards corrupted into 'Battata,' this again their neighbours in Portugal softened into 'Ba-ta-ta' (da terra), to which 'potato' is a very close approximation."

This plant, the tubers of which for a long time were a luxury obtainable by the rich only, now yields the support of the poor, and furnishes the cheapest food known; the peasantry of Ireland almost subsist upon Potatoes, and the poor of most parts of Europe find it indispensable to their living.

16. SCROPHULARIACEÆ (Digitalis purpurea) Foxglove. (Veronica officinalis) Speedwell.

Some of the members of this order were formerly considered useful in scrofulous complaints, especially the Scrophularia nodosa, a common plant growing by the sides of ditches, and whose tuberculated roots were considered to resemble scrofulous tumours, and therefore to be the natural remedy for them. The Foxglove is used as a medicine and is highly poisonous.

17. LENTIBULARIACEÆ (Pinguicula vulgaris) Butterwort.

This order includes the Butterworts, which are herbaceous indigenous plants, growing in ditches and wet places; they are divided into the Pinguicula and the Urticularia. The example given is the most common and characteristic of the order.

18. PLANTAGINACEÆ (Plantago lanceolata) Plantain.

The common Plantain or Way-bred is found by roadsides, the leaves form a sort of star on the ground, from the centre of which a tall stalk arises, forming a "spike" of flowers. The seeds of plantain are much in request by bird fanciers, cage-birds being fond of them. The leaves were once in great repute as a styptic, or application for stopping the bleeding of wounds.

19. PLUMBAGINACEÆ (Armeria maratima) Thrift. (Ilex aquifolium) Holly.

The most characteristic of this order are the two examples given, especially the Holly, which is universally known and admired for the decorative uses to which it is applied in our churches and houses at Christmas time.

ORDERS OF MONOCHLAMYDEÆ.

1. SANGUISORBEÆ (Alchemilla vulgaris) Ladies' Mantle.

Some species of this order, especially the Greater Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis), were once much cultivated as food for cattle, but it is now superseded by other plants, especially Sainfoin.

2. CHENOPODIACEÆ (Beta vulgaris) Beet. (Spinacia oleracea) Spinach.

The most important species of this order is the Beetroot, employed in France for the production of sugar. Its variety, Mangold-wurzel (Beta altissima), is also extensively used as food for cattle.

3. POLYGONACEÆ (Polygonum Fagopyrum) Buckwheat. (Rumex obtusifolius) Dock.

Buckwheat is used as food in America and other places, and the root of the "Rheum palmatum" furnishes the Rhubarb of commerce. It is brought from Turkey; but is grown in China, and thence passes through the hands of Russians to Turkey. Other species of Rhubarb, as "Rheum compactum," are cultivated here for the sake of the leaf-stalk, which has an agreeable acid taste, and is much used for making tarts and puddings.

4. ELÆAGNACEÆ (Elæagnus angustifolia) Oleaster.

Some foreign species of the Oleaster are extremely fragrant, and others, especially those of India, produce a fruit of a pleasant taste and is there eaten. The Sea Buckthorn (Hippophæ Rhamnoides) is the only English species.

5. THYMELACEÆ (Daphne pontica) Spurge Laurel.

Some species of this order are cultivated in gardens and are very fragrant, others partake of a poisonous quality; the Daphne mezerium, the bark of which is very acrid, is used in medicine, and forms one of the ingredients in the celebrated compound decoction of Sarsaparilla.

6. CORYLACEÆ (Castanea vesca) Sweet Chestnut. (Quercus pedunculata) Oak. (Corylus avellana) Hazel Nut.

This order contains some of our finest trees; the Oak, that prince of trees, is of this order. It attains a great age and size, and there are some celebrated specimens existing which have stood many centuries. Oaks constitute the greater part of the forest trees, both on the Continent and in England; great numbers are cut in France for fire-wood, and in both countries for ship-building. The roof-timbers of our old churches and halls are nearly all oak. The bark of the oak is largely used for tanning leather. About 30,000 tons are imported into this country yearly for this purpose, besides the product of our own trees. The bark of the Cork-oak (Quercus suber) is used for making corks, some 2,000 tons of this are imported annually. Moreover, the Gall-nut used in tanning, and also to make black dye, is the product of an oak. The Chestnut is a fine tree, the nuts of which are commonly eaten by the peasantry of Spain and Italy as food; the tree grows to a great age and to an enormous size.

7. EUPHORBIACEÆ (Buxus sempervirens) Box.

Many species of this order are acrid and poisonous, and have been used for poisoning arrows. The Castor-oil plant (Ricinus palma-christi), and the plant that yields that most violent purgative, Croton-oil (Croton tiglium), are of this species; also the Box-tree, from which that useful wood, known as box-wood, is obtained.

8. URTICACEÆ (Urtica urens) Stinging Nettle. (Humulus lupulus) Hops.

The Nettle in Australia grows to the size of a tree; the Hop also belongs to this order, and is largely cultivated in Kent and Sussex for the use of brewers, as it communicates an agreeable bitter to beer which no other plant seems to be able to substitute.