The Vse of Carawayes.
The rootes of Carawayes being boyled may be eaten as Carrots, and by reason of the spicie taste doth warme and comfort a cold weake stomacke, helping to dissolue winde (whereas Carrots engender it) and to prouoke vrine, and is a very welcome and delightfull dish to a great many, yet they are somewhat stronger in taste then Parsneps.
The seede is much vsed to bee put among baked fruit, or into bread, cakes, &c. to giue them a rellish, and to helpe to digest winde in them are subiect thereunto.
It is also made into Comfits, and put into Trageas, or as we call them in English, Dredges, that are taken for the cold and winde in the body, as also are serued to the table with fruit.
Chap. XLIX.
Pappas siue Battatas. Potatoes.
Three sorts of Potatoes are well knowne vnto vs, but the fourth I rest doubtfull of, and dare not affirme it vpon such termes as are giuen vnto it, vntill I may be better informed by mine owne sight.
The Spanish kinde hath (in the Islands where they growe, either naturally, or planted for increase, profit, and vse of the Spaniards that nourse them) many firme and verie sweete rootes, like in shape and forme vnto Asphodill rootes, but much greater and longer, of a pale browne on the outside, and white within, set together at one head; from whence rise vp many long branches, which by reason of their weight and weaknesse, cannot stand of themselues, but traile on the ground a yard and a halfe in length at the least (I relate it, as it hath growne with vs, but in what other forme, for flower or fruit, we know not) whereon are set at seuerall distances, broad and in a manner three square leaues, somewhat like triangled Iuie leaues, of a darke greene colour, the two sides whereof are broad and round, and the middle pointed at the end, standing reasonable close together: thus much we haue seene growe with vs, and no more: the roote rather decaying then increasing in our country.
The Potatoes of Virginia, (Bauhinus vpon Matthiolus calleth it, Solanum tuberosum esculentum which some foolishly call the Apples of youth) is another kinde of plant, differing much from the former, sauing in the colour and taste of the roote, hauing many weake and somewhat flexible branches, leaning a little downwards, or easily borne downe with the winde or other thing, beset with many winged leaues, of a darke grayish greene colour, whereof diuers are smaller, and some greater then others: the flowers growe many together vpon a long stalke, comming forth from betweene the leaues and the great stalkes, euery one seuerally vpon a short foot-stalke, somewhat like the flower of Tabacco for the forme, being one whole leafe six cornered at the brimmes, but somewhat larger, and of a pale blewish purple colour, or pale doue colour, and some almost white, with some red threads in the middle, standing about a thicke gold yellow pointell, tipped with greene at the end: after the flowers are past, there come vp in their places small round fruit, as bigge as a Damson or Bulleis, greene at the first, and somewhat whitish afterwards, with many white seedes therein, like vnto Nightshade: the rootes are rounder and much smaller then the former, and some much greater then others, dispersed vnder ground by many small threads or strings from the rootes, of the same light browne colour on the outside, and white within, as they, and neare of the same taste, but not altogether so pleasant.