84 A GARDEN OF HERBS 



records the curious old belief that if a wounded man eats 

 mint he will never recover, and it is a superstition which 

 has not quite died out that mint must never be cut with an 

 instrument of iron. 



All the mints except Corn-mint like moisture. Catmint 

 will grow anywhere. To have early mint make a small hot- 

 bed in January with two feet of manure with six inches of 

 good earth on top. Plant the roots closely. They will 

 be up in about a fortnight. If only a small quantity is 

 required plant a few roots in pots and give bottom heat. 

 Forced roots decay rapidly, and are useless after the leaves 

 have been taken. 



Mintes put into milk, it neyther suffereth the same to 

 curde, nor to become thick, insomuch that layed in curded 

 milke, this would bring the same thinne againe. The Good 

 Housewife's Handmaid, 1588. 



To MAKE SYRUP OF MINT. Take a quart of the Syrup of 

 Quinces before they are full ripe, juice of mint two quarts, 

 an ounce of Red Roses, steep them twenty-four hours in 

 the juices then boil it till it is half wasted, strain out the 

 remainder and make it into a syrup with double refined 

 sugar. From The Receipt Book of John Nott, Cook to the 

 Duke of Bolton, 1723. 



MINT WATER. Take a good quantity of mint, pennyroyal 

 and balm. Steep them in canary or the lees of it for twenty- 

 four hours. Stop them up close and stir them now and 

 then. Distil them in an alembick with a quick fire, sweeten- 

 ing it with sugar in your receiver. Ibid. 



PEPPER-MINT WATER. Take Pepper-mint six handfuls, 

 cut it a little, and infuse it two Days in six quarts of clean 

 Spirit ; then draw it off in a cold Still, marking every Bottle, 

 as it fills, with a number, for the first Bottle will be far the 

 strongest, the second less strong, and the third weaker than 

 the second ; and so as we draw off more, they will be still 

 weaker till at last it becomes almost insipid, and somewhat 

 sourish, but take none of that ; then cover the mouth of 



