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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



AN OLD-TIME HERB GARDEN. 



There is probably no department of agriculture that 

 has been so greatly neglected as the old-time herb 

 garden, which has become but a fragrant memory, 

 partly through lack of interest of the gardener, partly 

 because the savory cookery of a century or so ago is a 

 lost art among modern housewives. 



Basil, marjoram, burnet, lavender, thyme — what a 

 host of redolent thoughts they arouse, of days when 

 the herb garden was the first care of the housewife, 

 cultivation in patience and loved into maturity. In it 

 she planted cuttings bi'ought from the home land and 

 sprigs and seeds obtained from distant neighbors. 

 Prom it were made the family medicines and all the 

 Seasonings used in the household, while the faint scent 

 of rosemary, rue and lavender, because so much a part 

 of old-time life, still clings tenaciously to yellowed 

 linen and quaint brocade, transporting one back a hun- 

 dred years to the " jardins du del." The straight gar- 

 den paths bordered with notched burnet, the misty 

 violet of lavender, the thyme-covered bank, the pun- 

 gent odors of tansy, marjoram and chervil, the hoary 

 leaves of sage, the bravery of the evergreen trees — is it 

 strange they were named the "gardens of heaven"? 



Such gardens are seldom found nowadays, but they 

 are quite as practicable as they were a century ago. 

 The traditional location is about two feet lower than 

 the \egetable patch, in the regular garden, the divid- 

 ing line being clearly marked by a bank on which 

 thyme and other creeping herbs may be grown. 



It may be given as a general rule that the plat 

 should not be rich, as man}- herbs do better in a poor 

 soil. Others, however, as angelica, need rich earth, so 

 it is a good plan to select a certain portion for these 

 specific plants, making for them a deep, rich soil, ferti- 

 lized with stable manure. It rnust always be remem- 

 bered that the plat should be well drained, and in an 

 extremely dry season herbs needing moist soil should 

 be watered. 



A garden fifteen by thirty feet will accommodate a 

 large variety of plants, and at the same time give space 

 for walks and artistic grouping. A narrow path 

 should extend from end to end and round the patch, 

 the garden itself being marked ofif into small plats by 

 parallel paths from side to side. In the narrow beds 

 so formed solid rows of herbs may be planted, each 

 one by itself. In this way the aromatic odors will be 

 concentrated, while the paths make the gathering an 

 easy task. 



GROUP THEM ACCORDING TO YE.\RS. 



The idea that all herbs are perennials has caused 

 many disappointments among those who believe that 

 an herb garden once begun is started for all time. 

 Although many are perennials, some of the best are 

 annuals and biennials, while even the perennials need 

 occasional renewal from seeds or cuttings. The fol- 

 lowing classification lists twenty-two of the most use- 

 ful garden herbs : 



Annuals — basil, coriander, anise, summer savory, 

 fennel, horseradish. 



Biennials — caraway, parsley. 

 ■ Perennials — angelica, balm, marjoram, tarragon, 

 tan.sy, thyme, burnet, lavender, rosemary, rue, sage, 

 mint, chives, chervil. 



For a garden to accommodate all these herbs the 

 plat should be sixteen by thirty-six feet: this admits 

 of easy division into plats four by four, and allows a 

 foot each way for paths. If there is a bank thyme may 

 be planted there and the vacant space used for rose 

 geraniums, for, while they are not of the herb family, 



the leaves may be used to such good advantage in 

 cookery that they really belong in the garden. Some 

 of the smaller herbs, like chives and parsley, may be 

 grouped into one plat or used as edgings. 



In planting, an efficient plan is to group the annuals 

 and biennials on one side, using parsley as an edging, 

 while the other plats may be occupied with perennials, 

 those needing replanting oftenest being placed nearest 

 the annuals. If this is done it will not be necessary to 

 disturb the perennials in preparing the earth in spring 

 for the annuals and biennials. 



In arranging it is helpful to know that thyme is a 

 creeping herb, that caraway has lac}^ white blossoms 

 and grows from one to two feet high ; that basil, balm, 

 marjoram, summer savory, fennel, chervil, mint, anise, 

 burnet, sage and horseradish grown from one tto two 

 feet ; and that angelica, lavender, rue, rosemary, tarra- 

 gon and coriander grow from two to three feet in 

 height. Seeds and in many cases cuttings of all these 

 herbs may be obtained from first-class florists and 

 seedsmen. 



Basil, sometimes known as sweet basil, should be 

 planted in a warm, light loam, well fertilized, in rows 

 about twelve inches apart, the plants about six inches 

 in the rows. It is best started in the house from seeds 

 in early Spring, planting one inch deep, transplanting 

 after the frosts are over. 



Anise does best in a sandy soil, yet it thrives in any 

 earth bed. Like caraway and coriander it is grown 

 for its seeds. It should be sown thickly an inch deep, 

 in rows twelve inches apart, then thinned to three 

 inches. The seeds will be ripe late in the summer. 



Summer savory demands a warm soil, comparatively 

 rich, and may be started in the house in the early 

 spring, or sown an inch deep outside after the frosts. 

 The rows should be a foot and a half apart, while the 

 plants should be about six inches in the row. Any 

 plants thinned out may be utilized. 



Horseradish needs a moist, moderately rich soil, as 

 moisture makes a solid, brittle root of fine flavor. It is 

 always propagated from cuttings taken from the roots. 

 These may be obtained from seedsmen or taken from 

 the roots in the fall. When dug the upper ends 

 should be cut square and the lower ends slanting in 

 order to distinguish the planting ends, the roots being 

 tied in bundles and stored in sand in a cool, dry cellar. 

 They should be planted from three to six inches deep, 

 in rows two feet apart, with about twelve inches be- 

 tween the plants. Careful and frequent culture is 

 needed. If the gardener is too busy to attend to the 

 planting in the spring it may be done in the fall. 



Caraway may be planted in the late spring, the seeds 

 being sown an inch deep in rows a fopt apart. The plants 

 should be thinned to nine inches. In cold climates it 

 must be protected. The seeds appear during the 

 middle of the second summer. 



Balm needs a light, warm soil, and may be propa- 

 gated from seeds, slips or roots. In case slips or roots 

 are used transplanting must be done in the spring, the 

 plants being set in rows eighteen inches apart, with 

 twelve inches between plants. In case it is started 

 from seeds they should be sown thinly an inch deep 

 where the plants are to stand, then thinned to eight 

 inches. The second spring they should be thinned to 

 twelve inches. The leaves cannot be used until the 

 second summer unless the plants are especiallv sturdy. 

 When the plants have lost their vitality they should be 

 renewed. 



Marjoram is a sensitive perennial, needing particu- 

 lar protection during the Winter, but as it can be 



