The advocate., 1897-09-29
stOrY Of Common VEGETABLE.


An epicure will feast on a dish Of as
paragus and perhaps think meanwhile
that he is enjoying delicacy which is
strictly product of the present century,
but history shows us that the plant was
grown in all its perfection 200 years be-
fore the birth Of Christ. According to
Herodotus, lettuce was in use even ear
lier than asparagus, for 1t was culti-
waited as early as $50 B. G. Not only was
1t grown but 1t was so grown as to be
had at all times Of the year, and even
blanched so as to make 1t white and ten
der. What better does the gardener Of
to-day?
The cucumber is one Of the vegetables
named in early Bible history, though
some claim that melons were really
meant. Both the cucumber and the
melon are named, not only in different
places, but the Israelites complained Of
the lack of "the cucumbers and the mel
ons" when they were with Moses in the
wilderness. AS to the melon, the date
of it's first cultivation is lost in antiquity,
but Pliny records its use, and as he died
in A. D. 70, it probably is as old as the
cucumber.
Beets are on record as highly priced
vegetable over 1000 years ago, and re-
ceived much notice from early writer's
on such subjects.
Carrots seem to have come to us from
time that is immemorial, while history
proves that turnips were in use as gar
den vegetable before the Christian era.
No one seems to have been able to
trace the origin Of either the pumpkin or
the squash, but we read that pumpkin
pies were made over 300 years ago, after
this receipt Cut hole in the side, take
out the seeds and fllaments, stuff with
a mixture of apples and spices, and then
bake till done.
A book was written on "The Radish"
before the Christian era. The ancient
Greeks used to offer turnips, beets and
radishes in their oblatiOns to Apollo.
The first they offered in dishes Of lead,
the second in silver, but the third was
offered in vessels Of beaten gold"
Parsnips we find mentioned by Pliny
as being brought to Rome from the
banks of the Rhine, at the command of
the Emperor Tiberius, for use on his
table.
Beans have history, both long and
curious. Pliny says Of them: "The pod
Is to be eaten with the seed" evidently
speaking of what we know as String
beans"
The Egyptians used the bean as a
common article of food till their religious
ideas concerning it caused them to de-
sist. They believe the bean to be Gre
ated Of the same elements as man, and,
like man, possessed of a soul, which was
subject to the laws Of transmigratiOn.
The Egyptian priests were not allowed
to either eat or look at the bean, fact
which Aristotle explains by saying that
the bean was used as a common means
of voting, and the prohibition was laid
on the priests to prevent them from in
any way meddling with the political af
fairs of the day. The Roman priests
also had their superstitions concerning
this vegetable, believing that the BIOS
SONS were marked with Internal letters,
referring to the dark spots on the wings
Of the blossom.
HerOdotus writes that in his time (45O
B. c. there was on the great pyramid
an inscription telling Of the 10000 tai
ents which had been expended for onion,
leeks and garlic with which to feed the
builders of the pyramid. One may also
find the Israelites complaining OF the
loss of these vegetables as well as their
"cucumbers and melons" when in the
wilderness--Ch News.