82 A GARDEN OF HERBS 



MARJORAM 



" Clown. Indeed, Sir, she was the sweet marjoram of the 

 Salad, or rather the herb of grace." All's Well that Ends 

 Well, IV. v. 



Venus is supposed to have been the first to raise sweet 

 marjoram. Wild marjoram, according to tradition, was 

 once a youth in the service of King Cinyras of Cyprus. 

 One day he was carrying a vase of perfumes which he 

 dropped, and in his terror he lost consciousness and finally 

 became metamorphosed into this sweet herb. The botanical 

 name, origanum, means " Joy of the Mountain," and one 

 cannot imagine a more appropriate name for this fragrant 

 plant. One old herbalist tells us that to smell wild marjoram 

 frequently keeps a person in good health. The ancient 

 Greeks believed that if marjoram grew on a tomb the dead 

 person was happy ; " may many flowers grow on this tomb, 

 violets, and marjoram and the narcissus growing in water, 

 and around Thee may all Roses grow/' was an old prayer. 



Marjoram was one of the strewing herbs, and it was always 

 put into the sweet-bags for the linen. 



Marjorams love sun, and they cannot have too much of 

 it. They like a light, dry soil. Sow seeds of marjoram 

 in March or April, and increase by dividing the roots or 

 taking slips any time during the spring or autumn. Sweet 

 Marjoram can only be grown from seed as it is only an 

 annual. 



A CONSERVE OF MARJORAM. Take the tops and tenderest 

 parts of Sweet Marjoram, bruise it well in a wooden Mortar 

 or Bowl ; take double the weight of Fine Sugar, boil it with 

 Marjoram Water till it is as thick as Syrup, then put in your 

 beaten marjoram. From The Receipts of John Nott, Cook 

 to the Duke of Bolton, 1723. 



WILD MARJORAM TEA. One pint of boiling water poured 

 on a good handful of the young leaves and flowering tops of 

 wild marjoram. The wild marjoram has a pungent taste, 

 warmer than that of sweet or pot marjoram. 



