are much inferior to the young Seedling Leaves and Roots; raised on the
[39]Monthly _Hot-Bed_, almost the whole Year round, affording a very
grateful mordacity, and sufficiently attempers the cooler Ingredients:
The bigger Roots (so much desir'd) should be such as being transparent,
eat short and quick, without stringiness, and not too biting. These are
eaten alone with _Salt_ only, as carrying their _Peper_ in them; and
were indeed by _Dioscorides_ and _Pliny_ celebrated above all Roots
whatsoever; insomuch as in the _Delphic_ Temple, there was _Raphanus ex
auro dicatus_, a Radish of solid Gold; and 'tis said of _Moschius_, that
he wrote a whole Volume in their praise. Notwithstanding all which, I am
sure, the great [40]_Hippocrates_ utterly condemns them, as _Vitiosoe,
innatantes ac aegre concoctiles_. And the _Naturalist_ calls it _Cibus
Illiberalis_, fitter for _Rustics_ than _Gentlemens_ Tables. And indeed
(besides that they decay the Teeth) experience tells us, that as the
Prince of _Physicians_ writes, It is hard of Digestion, _Inimicous_ to
the Stomach, causing nauseous Eructations, and sometimes Vomiting, tho'
otherwise _Diuretic_, and thought to repel the Vapours of _Wine_, when
the _Wits_ were at their genial _Club_. _Dioscorides_ and [41]_Galen_
differ about their Eating; One prescribes it before Meals, the latter
for after. Some macerate the young Roots in warm milk, to render them
more _Nourishing_.

There is a _Raphanus rusticanus_, the _Spanish_ black _Horse Radish_,
of a hotter quality, and not so friendly to the Head; but a notable
_Antiscorbutic_, which may be eaten all the Winter, and on that account
an excellent Ingredient in the Composition of _Mustard_; as are also
the thin Shavings, mingled with our cold Herbs. And now before I have
done with this Root, for an excellent and universal _Condiment_. Take
_Horse-Radish_, whilst newly drawn out of the Earth, otherwise laid to
steep in Water a competent time; then _grate_ it on a _Grater_ which has