493. COTTON-THISTLE. Onopordon Acanthium.—The tender stalks of this plant, peeled and boiled, are by some considered good; but it has a peculiar taste which is not agreeable to all.
Bryant in his Flora Diaetetica says that the bottoms of the flowers are eaten as artichokes.
494. COW-PARSNEP. Heracleum Sphondylium.—The inhabitants of Kamschatka about the beginning of July collect the foot-stalks of the radical leaves of this plant, and, after peeling off the rind, dry them separately in the sun; and then tying them in bundles, they lay them up carefully in the shade. In a short time afterwards, these dried stalks are covered over with a yellow saccharine efflorescence tasting like liquorice, and in this state they are eaten as a delicacy.
The Russians, not content with eating the stalks thus prepared, contrive to get a very intoxicating spirit from them, by first fermenting them in water with the greater bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum), and then distilling the liquor to what degree of strength they please; which Gmelin says is more agreeable to the taste than spirits made from corn. This may, therefore, prove a good succedaneum for whisky, and prevent the consumption of much barley, which ought to be applied to better purposes. Swine and rabbits are very fond of this plant.—-Lightfoot's Fl. Scot.
495. DANDELION. Leontodum Taraxacum.—This is a good salad when blanched in the spring. The French, who eat more vegetables than our country people do, use this in the spring as a common dish: it is similar to endive in taste.
496. DEWBERRY. Rubus caesius.—The dewberry is very apt to be mistaken for the blackberry; but it may be easily distinguished by its fruit being not so large, and being covered with blue bloom similar to that seen on plums: it has a very pleasant taste, and is said to communicate a grateful flavour to red wine when steeped in it.
497. EARTH-NUT. Bunium Bulbocastanum.—The roots are eaten raw, and considered a delicacy here, but thought much more of in Sweden, where they are an article of trade: they are eaten also stewed as chesnuts.
498. ELDER. Sambucus nigra.—The young shoots of elder are boiled with other herbs in the spring and eaten; they are also very good pickled in vinegar. Lightfoot says, in some countries they dye cloth of a brown colour with them.
499. FAT-HEN. Chenopodium viride et album.—These are boiled and eaten as spinach, and are by no means inferior to that vegetable.
500. FUCUS, SWEET. Fucus saccharatus.—This grows upon rocks and stones by the sea-shore. It consists of a long single leaf, having a short roundish foot-stalk, the leaf representing a belt or girdle. This is collected and eaten the same as laver, as are also the two following kinds.