Lettuce is an Asiatic plant, and, like celery, is an important and almost indispensable article in preparing chicken, lobster, or other mixed salads. It is also eaten plain with simply salt or dressed with vinegar, sugar, and oil; or, what is better still, a few drops of vinegar, with sugar and rich cream.
The Endive, a native of China and Japan, is largely cultivated in America, and by many considered one of the best autumn, winter, and early spring salads.
Corn-salad, brought from the South of France and Europe, is sometimes boiled or cooked like spinach; but usually the young leaves are dressed for salad, and in winter and early spring are excellent.
Cress, or pepper-grass, belongs to Persia, but is largely raised here; eaten as a salad, either separately or mixed with lettuce or celery. The varieties are quite numerous.
Horse-radish and Mustard are from Europe. The young tips are sometimes mixed with other greens, and their natural pungency adds quite a pleasant flavor to less highly spiced pot-herbs.
The Nasturtium is from Peru. The seeds make a pickle almost equal to the caper, and the young shoots furnish a fine, pungent salad; and in all its many varieties it is a pretty garden ornament.
The Purslain, Rape, and Rocket are natives of Europe.
The Samphire is used as a seasoning for salads. Tarragon, from Siberia, is also put in salads for seasoning, and much used steeped in vinegar for dressings of various kinds.
Valeriana, as a salad, is by some thought more desirable than corn-salad, and is likewise a very beautiful garden ornament.
All these and many more can be grown in our own country, and most of them with very little trouble. Interesting statements respecting them can be found in most of the agricultural books, which are well worth reading.