436 THE FARMEH'S AND 



coolness on the tongue after tasting it. It yields a little 

 camphor, to which its taste is partly owing, and its medi- 

 cinal uses are well known. 



Pennyroyal mint, has a warm pungent flavor, but less 

 agreeable than common mint. It is employed in some 

 particular dishes in cookery, and formerly chiefly for 

 medical purposes, but is now little used. 



MARJORAM. 



There are several species of marjoram, but that which 

 is preferred for cookery, and which is cultivated in our 

 gardens for this purpose, is the sweet marjoram, also call- 

 ed knotted marjoram. The leaves are dried as a season- 

 ing herb, having an agreeable flavor. There is also a 

 winter sweet marjoram, used for the same purposes. Pot 

 marjoram, common or wild marjoram, is found growing in 

 our fields. This has nearly the same flavor, but is in- 

 ferior, and is only used when the others are not at hand. 

 All these are favorite ingredients in soups, stuffings, etc. 



TANSY. 



Tansy grows wild, and is cultivated in gardens. Its 

 leaves, having a powerful aromatic bitter, are sometimes 

 chopped or bruised, to put into certain puddings, or the 

 juice alone is so employed : its use is very ancient. There 

 are three varieties ; the plain and curled leaved, and the 

 variegated 



SAFFRON. 



It is now chiefly employed as a coloring matter for 

 cheese and butter. When good saffron has a beautiful ' 

 yellow color, and an agreeable odor, it yields its active 

 principle, an essential oil, to water and spirit. Dr. A. T. 

 Thomson, in his Materia Medica states, that it excites the 



