BORAGE. 397 



BORAGE. 



Borago officinalis. 



Borage is generally classed as a hardy annual, though it is 

 sometimes biennial. Stem two feet high ; the leaves are 

 oval, alternate, and, in common with the stalk and branches, 

 thickly set with stiff, bristly hairs ; the flowers are large and 

 showy, they are red, white, or blue, and often measure 

 more than an inch in diameter ; the seeds are large, oblong, 

 slightly curved, and retain their germinative property three 

 years. 



Soil and Cultivation. Borage thrives best in light, dry 

 soil. The seeds are sown in April or May, in drills ten or 

 twelve inches apart, and half an inch deep. They should be 

 sown quite thinly, or so as to secure a plant for every six or 

 eight inches, to which distance they should be thinned. 

 When a continued supply is required, a second sowing 

 should be made in July. The plants seed abundantly, 

 and, when once introduced into the garden, spring up 

 spontaneously. 



Use. The plant is rarely cultivated, and little used in this 

 country. It is sometimes employed as a pot-herb, and the 

 young shoots are occasionally mixed in salads. They are 

 also sometimes boiled and used as Spinach. The flowers 

 make a beautiful garnish, and it is well worthy of cultiva- 

 tion as an ornamental plant. " The stalks and foliage 

 contain a large proportion of nitre, and, when dried, burn 

 like match-paper." 



Varieties. There are several varieties, differing slightly, 

 except in the color of the flowers ; the Red-flowering, 

 White-flowering, and Blue-flowering being the principal. 

 A variety with variegated foliage is described by some 

 authors. Miller states that they generally retain their dis- 

 tinctions from seeds. 

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