THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



o85 



grown as an annual, propagated from seed, it is easier 

 not to carry it through. It needs good soil and should 

 be planted in late Spring, an inch deep in rows eight- 

 een inches apart. Thin tn ten inches between plants. 

 Botanically marjoram is closely related to thyme. 



Tarragon is usually started from plants. It does 

 well in poor soil, but needs a sunny spot. The plants 

 should be set a foot apart each way. When root divi- 

 sions are used they should be planted in the Spring; 

 slips or cuttings should not be set until late Spring or 

 Summer, when they must he kept moist. In cultivat- 

 ing do not allow the plant to flower. Plants should be 

 covered with a mulch through the Winter, and every 

 four years should be entirely renewed in a fresh plat. 

 Thyme is of two varieties, the common and the 

 lemon. The latter is a creeping plant, growing in 

 tufts four inches high, and may be propagated by seeds 

 or root divisions. It needs a light, warm soil, the 

 seeds being sown an inch deep in rows a foot apart in 

 late Spring. The plant should be thinned to six 

 inches. Any transplanting should be done in the 

 Spring. As the plants lose their vitality every three 

 or four years, they should be renewed. 



Lavender needs a dry, sandy soil and plenty of room. 

 For this reason it may be used as a low hedge at one 

 side of the garden. It is very difficult to raise from 

 seeds, as the seeds often fail to come true. The best 

 way is to obtain cuttings from a florist. These should 

 be planted in a shad}- patch, well protected, then trans- 

 planted into a permanent bed two feet apart. All 

 flower buds should be removed the first year. During 

 the second Summer the flower spikes may be allovced 

 to mature, and the flowers ])icked in dry weather be- 

 fore they fade. 



Rosemary, or "old man," is called the "herb o' 

 memory," because it is an evergreen. It needs light, 

 warm soil and the seeds should be planted an inch 

 deep, then thinned to six inches. The plants should 

 not be placed in a permanent place till Fall or early 

 Spring, and then should be placed two feet apart each 

 way. Cuttings may be set during the Summer if care 

 is taken to keep them moist. There are three varie- 

 ties, the green-leaved, silver-striped and gold-striped. 

 If all these are used a beautiful color note is added to 

 the garden foliage. 



Rue, or "herb o' grace," grows best in a light, well- 

 drained, limed soil. Like rosemary it is an evergreen. 

 It may be propagated from seeds, cuttings or root 

 divisions. If seeds are planted proceed as for rose- 

 mary. If cuttings are used plant in the early Summer 

 in a temporary bed, transplanting the following Spring 

 to a permanent position, with six inches between 

 plants. In cold climates the plants should be mulched 

 during the winter with leaves or litter. 



Sage, like marjoram, is a sensitive perennial, and 

 better results are obtained in cold countries when it is 

 .sown every year instead of being carried over. It may 

 be propagated in four different ways — seeds, root divi- 

 sions, cuttings or layerings. The most common 

 method is from cuttings. The cuttings should be 

 planted in a rather dry. well-fertilized soil, about a 

 foot each way. They should be put in at the same 

 depth as they were taken up, and should be well 

 watered until'growth is fully established. This is the 

 easiest method, as seeds do not always come true. If 

 sage is to be grown as a perennial the beds should be 

 protected during the winter with a mulch, and as the 

 plants lose their vitality they should be renewed every 

 two or three years. 



Mint may be found in several varieties, spearmint 

 being that usually culti' ated in gardens. It can be 



grown in any good soil, the best results being gained 

 when the seeds are sown in drills a foot and a half 

 apart, and the plants carefully cultivated. It is usually 

 propagated from root cuttings planted two inches 

 deep. Cuttings may also be established if planted in 

 Summer and carefully shaded and watered. If seeds 

 are used they should be sown in the permanent plat, in 

 rows twelve inches apart, then thinned to four inches. 



Chives may be grown from either seeds or roots. 

 Plant the seeds half an inch deep in rows about ten 

 inches apart. They look handsomer and do better if 

 left in solid rows without thinning. When using roots 

 plant at the same depth. Every three or four years 

 they should be taken up and reset by dividing, as the 

 roots are inclined to clump. 



Sweet-scented chervil, or sweet cicely, maj' be 

 grown in any good earth. It may be started from seed 

 or root divisions. The latter should be set in the 

 Spring about two feet each way, while seeds should 

 be sown an inch deep in Autumn as soon as ripe. 

 Seed sown in Spring is liable not to come up. Trans- 

 planting can be done as soon as the plants are growing 

 well. It should be mulched during the Winter. — 

 From Country Gentleman. 



THE RENTED FARM. 



Toda}' I wandered o'er the farm 



Near which ni)' early lot was cast, 

 And viewed the changes with alarm. 



Changes that made the happy past 



Seem far remote and fading fast. 



The fields, where record wheat once grew. 

 Are foul with briers and goldenrod. 



Sumac, and ivy. There a few 

 Lean cattle bite the scanty sod — 

 Where corn once ripened, thistles nod. 



Fences are falling, and the sad 



Old barn which once was filled with sheaves, 



\Miere I have played, a little lad, 



Shows sagging roof with moss-gfovvn eaves — 

 Its driveway choked with weeds and leaves. 



The boys have grown, and left the place ; 



The father sleeps, now, on the hill ; 

 And not one dear, familiar face 



Of all I knew is left there still, 



A tenant robs the soil at will. 



The simple, quiet country life 



Our fathers loved no longer seems 



To please our young whose minds are rife 

 With thoughts of vast commercial schemes. 

 Where svulden wealth absorbs their dreams. 



Thus do they leave the land to be 

 Half tilled by those whose only care 



Is present gain — resigned to see 



Their birthright useless, brown, and bare. 

 Results confront us everywhere. 



Better to base one's hopes upon 

 The =!.'•', foundation of the soil. 



Contcnr to hold, when youth is gone. 

 An Inimhlc recompense for toil, 

 than scheme and fret for power and spoil. 



Selected. 



