The Tatars find uses for many herbs which we denominate weeds. The young leaves ofthe dock and sorrel, and the first shoots of nettles, are put into soups, or eaten as spinach ; the leaf of the dandelion makes a good salad ; wild asparagus is gathered in the gardens ; and the wild carrot is in great estimation, and is even taken to market for sale; it is cleaned, salted, and used in soup, or sometimes eaten raw in great quantities. The wild mustard is here gathered, dried, and powdered, and is not, I think, inferior to the Russian mustard sold in the shops ; but it has neither the pungency nor the flavour of ours, for though the seed is fine, they have not the proper method ofpreparing it. Infusion ofwormwood with brandy is thecommon remedy for ague ; dried elder flowers and sweet chamomile for coughs ; and the Materia Medica in the Crimea consists much more of simples than of any imported drugs, which are very dear. The horse-radish grows to a prodigious size on the Stepp, and flowers in large bushes. The root of succory is prepared all over Russia to mix with coffee, and its young leaves are gathered for salad. Capers are collected in great abundance, and sold at two rubles the oka. Wild vines, and hops, ornament the extensive gardens in profusion. The latter are used by the Russians and Germans; and the gypsies make baskets, and binds for various purposes, of the branches ofthe beautiful white clematis*.
* The gypsies of the Crimea, called Tsigans, resemble in habits and appearance those of England, and, like then), exist u2 Nearly all the artificial grasses, &c. of Englandgrow spontaneously in the bestmeadow land of the Crimea. At Karagoss we find clover (both red and white), saintfoin, lentils, tares, cow-grass, chicory, cock's-foot grass, rye-grass, lamb's-tongue, and trefoil.
chiefly by plunder. They are commonly the musicians at weddings, profess fortune-telling, and have all the tricks and cant of begging. Some of them are tinkers, travelling with a forge, &c.; others are basket-makers, or manufacture a coarse sort ofsieve, of horse-hair and dried skins. Sieves are used for so many purposes here to which superior machinery is applied in England, that this last is the most useful and profitable of their employments.