viii. INTRODUCTION. 



but when they are ripe, the rest begins to decay, 

 having' done its duty ; so that the time when the en- 

 tire plant is in its most full perfection, is when it is in 

 the bud ; when the heads are formed for flowering", 

 but not a single flower has yet disclosed itself : this 

 is the exact time. 



When herbs are to be used fresh, it is best not 

 to take them entire, but only to cut oil' the tops ; 

 three or lour inches long", if for infusion, and if 

 for other purposes, less : if they are to be beaten 

 up with sugar, they should be only an inch, or 

 ess .;, just a> far as they arc fresh and tender. 

 The tops of the plant thus gathered, are al- 

 ways preferable [o the whole plant lor immediate 

 rise 



When the entire herb is to be dried, the season 

 for gathering it is to he as just described, when 

 tiie flowers are budding' : and the time of the day 

 must be when the morning" clew is dried away 

 This is a very material circumstance, for if they 

 be cut wet with the dew, herbs will not dry well, 

 and if (hey be cut at noon day, when the sun has 

 made the leaves flag', they will not have their full 

 power. 



Care must also be taken to cut them in a dry day ; 

 for the wet of rain will do as much harm, as that of 

 dew . 



When the herbs are thus gathered, they are to 

 be looked over, the decayed leaves picked off, 

 and the dead ends of the stalks cut away : they 

 arc then to be tied up in small bunches, (the 

 less the better,) and hung upon lines drawn across 

 a room, where; the windows and doors are to be 

 kept open in good weather ; the bunches are to 

 in' half a foot asunder, and they are to hang till 

 perfectly dry. They are th m to be takeiy softly 

 dov.u. without shaking oil' the buds of the Mow- 



