TiiiV INTRODUCTION. 



but when thej are ripcj the rest begins to deciay, 

 having done its duty ; so that the time when the 

 entire plant is in its most full perfection, is when 

 it is in the bud ; when the heads are formed for 

 flowering, but not a single flower has yet dis- 

 closed itself: this is the exact time. 



\^hen herbs are to be used fresh^ it is best not 

 to take them entire, but only to cut off the tops ; 

 three or four inches long, if for infusion, and if 

 for other purposes, less: if they are to be beaten 

 up with sugar, they should be only an inch, or 

 less; just as far as they are fresh and tender. 

 The tops of the plant thus gathered, are al- 

 ways preferable to the whole plant for imraedi-* 

 ate use. 



When the entire herb is to be dried, the season 

 for gathering it is to be as just described, when 

 the flowers are budding ; and the time of the day 

 must be when the morning dew is dried away. 

 This is a Tcry material circumstance, for if they 

 be cut wet with the dew, herbs will not dry 

 well, and if they be cut at noon-day, when the 

 »0a has made the leaves flag, they will not have 

 thefr full power. 



Care must also be taken to cut them in a drv 

 day ; for the wet of rain will do as much harra^ 

 as that of dew. 



When the herbs are thus gathered^ they arc io 

 be looked over, the decayed leaves picked ofl^, 

 and the dead ends of the stalks cut away : they 

 are then io be tied up in small bunches, (the 

 less the better^) and hung upon Hnes drawn across 

 « room, where the windows and doors are to be 

 kept open in good weatlier ; the bunches are to 

 be half a foot asunder, and they are io hang till 

 |»erfectly dry. They are then to be taken softly 

 ^ewn, without shaking off the buds of the flow- 



