MARJORAM. 413 



produced in compact clusters, or heads, resembling knots ; 

 whence the term " Knotted Marjoram " of many localities. 

 The seeds are brown, exceedingly small, and retain their 

 germinative properties three years. 



Sowing and Cultivation. Sweet Marjoram is raised from 

 seeds sown annually in April, May, or June. Its propaga- 

 tion, however, is generally attended with more or less diffi- 

 culty, arising from the exceeding minuteness of the seeds, 

 and the liability of the young seedlings to be destroyed by 

 the sun before they become established. The seeds are sown 

 in drills ten or twelve inches apart, and very thinly covered 

 with finely pulverized loam. Coarse, light matting is often 

 placed over the bed immediately after sowing, to facilitate 

 vegetation, and, if allowed to remain until the plants are 

 well up, will often preserve a crop Avhich would otherwise 

 be destroyed. 



The seeds are sometimes sown in a hot-bed, and the plants 

 set out in May or June, in rows twelve inches apart, and six 

 inches apart in the rows. 



Gathering. The plants, when in flower or fully de- 

 veloped, are cut to the ground, and, for winter use, are 

 dried and preserved as other pot-herbs. 



Use. Sweet Marjoram is highly aromatic, and is much 

 used, both in the green state and when dried, for flavoring 

 broths, soups, and stuffings. 



A perennial species, from Sicily. Stem a Pot Marjo- 

 ram, 

 foot or more in height, branching ; leaves ORIGANUM 



O JUTES. 



oval, comparatively smooth ; the flowers are 

 small, of a purplish color, and produced in spikes. 



Propagation and Cultivation. The species is propagated, 

 and the crop in all respects should be treated, as directed for 

 Common Marjoram. The properties and uses of the plant 

 35* 



