Note 39 — PETER KALM’s TRAVELS. (continued 2)

The Kitchen herbs, succeed very well here. The white cabbage is very fine, but sometimes suffers greatly from worms. Onions (Allium cepa) are very much in use here, together with other species of leeks. They likewise plant several species of gourds, melons, sallads, wild succory or wild endive (Cichorium Intybus), several kinds of pease, beans, French beans, carrots, and cucumbers. They have plenty of red beets, horseradishes and common raddishes, thyme, and marjoram. Turneps are sown in abundance, and used chiefly in winter. Parsneps are sometimes eaten, though not very common. Few people took notice of potatoes; and neither the common (Solanum tuberosum) nor the Bermuda ones (Convolvulus Batatas) were planted in Canada. When the French here are asked why they do not plant potatoes, they answer that they cannot find any relish in them, and they laugh at the English who are so fond of them. Throughout all North-America the root cabbage39 (Brassica gongylodes, Linn.) is unknown to the Swedes, English, Dutch, Irish, Germans, and French. Those who have been employed in sowing and planting kitchen herbs in Canada, and have had some experience in gardening, told me that they were obliged to send for fresh seeds from France every year, because they commonly loose their strength here in the third generation, and do not produce such plants as would equal the original ones in taste and goodness.