KNOBBED-ROOTED LIQUORICE-VETCH: A genus of the decandria order, belonging to the delphina clasps of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 3rd order, Papilionaceae. The calyx is bilabiate; the carina of the corolla turning back the vexillum with its point. There is but one species commonly cultivated in our gardens, viz. the frutescens, or Carolina kidney-bean tree. This hath shrubby climbing stalks, twining round any support, 15 or 20 feet high, adorned with pinnated leaves of three pair of follicles terminated by an odd one, and from the axillas clusters of large bluish-purple flowers, succeeded by long pods like those of the climbing kidney-bean. It flowers in June and July, but the seeds do not ripen in this country. It is easily propagated, either by seeds imported from America, where it is native, or by layers. —The stalks and roots of the abrus, another species of glycine, which grows in Egypt and the Indies, are very sweet to the taste. Herman affirms, that the juice ob-
* Worthies of Harrifon in Kent, eat a whole sheep of 16 s. price p. 86, at one meal, raw; at another time, 30 dozen of pigeons.
At Sir William Sidney's, in the same county, he eat as much victuals as would have sufficed 30 men. At Lord Wotton's mansion-house in Kent, he devoured at one dinner 84 rabbits; which, by computation, at half a rabbit a man, would have served 168 men. He eat to his breakfast 18 yards of black pudding. He devoured a whole hog at one sitting down; and after it, being accommodated with fruit, he eat three pecks of damoins.
A counsellor at law, whose name was Mallet, well known in the reign of Charles I. eat at one time an ordinary provided in Westminster for 30 men at twelve-pence a piece. His practice not being sufficient to supply him with better sort of meat, he fed generally on offals, ox-livers, hearts, &c. He lived to almost 60 years of age, and for the seven last years of his life eat as moderately as other men. A narrative of his Life was published.
KNOBBED-ROOTED LIQUORICE-VETCH: A genus of the decandria order, belonging to the delphina clasps of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 3rd order, Papilionaceae. The calyx is bilabiate; the carina of the corolla turning back the vexillum with its point. There is but one species commonly cultivated in our gardens, viz. the frutescens, or Carolina kidney-bean tree. This hath shrubby climbing stalks, twining round any support, 15 or 20 feet high, adorned with pinnated leaves of three pair of follicles terminated by an odd one, and from the axillas clusters of large bluish-purple flowers, succeeded by long pods like those of the climbing kidney-bean. It flowers in June and July, but the seeds do not ripen in this country. It is easily propagated, either by seeds imported from America, where it is native, or by layers. —The stalks and roots of the abrus, another species of glycine, which grows in Egypt and the Indies, are very sweet to the taste. Herman affirms, that the juice ob-