Of Plantain-Sellers

Plantain is sold extensively, and is given to canaries, but water-cress is given to those birds more than any other green thing. It is the ripe seed, in a spike, of the “great” and the “ribbed” plantain. The green leaves of the last-mentioned plant used to be in demand as a styptick. Shenstone speaks of “plantain ribbed, that heals the reaper’s wound.” I believe that it was never sold in the streets of London. The most of the plantain is gathered in the brick-fields, wherever they are found, as the greater plantain, which gives three-fourths of the supply, loves an arid situation. It is sold in hands to the shops, about 60 “heads” going to a “hand,” at a price, according to size, &c., from 1d. to 4d. On a private round, five or six are given for a halfpenny. It is, however, generally gathered and sold with chickweed, and along with chickweed I have shown the quantity used.

The money-value of the several kinds and quantities of “green-stuff” annually purchased in the streets of London is as follows:—

6,696,450 bunches of water-cresses, at ½d. per bunch £13,950

5,616,000 „ groundsel, at ½d. 11,700

1,120,800 „ chickweed and plantain 2,335

660,000 turfs, at 2½d. per doz. 572

28,557

Of the above amount, it may be said that upwards of 14,000l. are spent yearly on what may be called the bird-food of London.