Herbs 



May, and July ; but with a little management continuous supplies 

 may be obtained from one annual sowing in April, from which two 

 or three plantings may be made that will spread the growth over 

 two seasons, or at least a sufficient length of time to prevent a gap 

 between the old and the new crops. When the plant pushes for 

 seed it becomes useless, and had best be got rid of ; but by planting 

 at various times in different places a sufficiency may be expected to 

 go through a second season without bolting, after which it will be 

 necessary to root them out and consign them to the rubbish-heap. 

 Parsley is often grown as an edging, but it is only in large gardens 

 that this can be done advantageously, and then a very handsome 

 edging is secured. In small gardens it is best to sow on a bed in 

 lines one foot apart, and thin out first to three inches, and finally to 

 six inches, the strongest of the thinnings being planted a foot apart, 

 to last over as proposed above. When Parsley has stood some time 

 it becomes coarse, but the young growth may be renewed by cut- 

 ting over ; this operation being also useful to defer the flowering, 

 which is surely hastened by leaving the plants alone. For the 

 winter supply a late plantation made in a sheltered spot will usually 

 suffice, for the plant is very hardy ; but it may be expedient some- 

 times to put old frames over a piece worth keeping, or to protect 

 during hard weather with dry litter. In gathering, care should be 

 taken to pick separately the young leaves that are nearly full grown, 

 and to take only one or two from each plant. It costs no more 

 time to fill a basket by taking a leaf or two here and there from a 

 whole row than to strip two or three plants, and the difference in the 

 end will be considerable as regards the total produce and quality of 

 the crop. 



Pennyroyal (Mentha Pulegiuni) is a native perennial which 

 must be propagated by divisions, and this can be done either in 

 spring or autumn. The rows may be twelve or fifteen inches apart, 

 but in the rows the plants do well at a distance of eight inches. 

 The taste for Pennyroyal is by no means universal, but some persons 

 like the tender tops in culinary preparations. The belief in its sup- 

 posed medicinal virtues is slowly dying. 



Rampion (Campanula Ranunculus). Both leaves and roots are 

 used in winter salads ; the roots are also boiled. If the seed be 

 sown earlier than the end of May the plants are liable to bolt. 

 Choose a shady situation where the soil is rich and light, and do 

 not stint water. The rows need not exceed six inches apart, and 

 four inches in the rows will be a sufficient space between plants. 



