78 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



that Pompey, Titus, and Vesjiasian all boasted of 

 havinK brought one or more to Rome. Josi'iilius says 

 that in his day Gilead had become exhausted, and 

 that the royal garden of Balm was near Jericho. 

 This garden, on their downfall, the .Jews attempted 

 to destroy, but were prevented ; and henceforward the 

 precious herbs shed their fragrant gum for heathen 

 deities and the odalisques of the Turkish seraglios. 

 Now the very plant cannot be certainly identified — 

 it has become simply "a name to conjure with" — 

 a password lor the nostrums of cjuacks and impostors. 



Of a very different spirit was the herb Basil. The 

 Romans sowed it with maledictions, and while they 

 trod it down with their feet, forbade it to grow, aver- 

 ring that, so contradictious was its temper, it always 

 did best what it was forbidden to do. In Mary's and 

 Elizabeth's reign a pot of Basil was considered a com- 

 pliment to any lady, but remembering its peculiar 

 habits, it is just possible the compliment was a covert 

 sarcasm. No plant has had so bad and so good a 

 name. Old Gcrarde greatly prai.ses it, and says, "It 

 is good for the heart and the head, and taketh away 

 sorrowfulness which cometh of melaneholie." Tusser 

 has a little sneer for its dainty tastes ; and again. 

 Lord Bacon conmiendeth its "fat and succulent 

 leaves," which are yet such favorites with the French 

 that none of their soups or sauces want the aromatic 

 fragrance of Sweet Basil. 



" Why should a man die who has Sage in his gar- 

 den? " was a poi)ular saying of Campania ; for great- 

 ly was this herb valued for its healing qualities, and 

 its i>ower to strengthen the memory and induce wise 

 thoughts. It has still some reputation as an emollient, 

 and I saw instances during the late war when the 

 leaves dried and smoked in a pipe greatly allayed that 

 irritability common to men deprived of their custom- 

 ary tobacco. I would not speak positively as to the 

 "wi.se thoughts," but I know the words were more 

 reasonable after it. The Cliinese are immoderately 

 fond of Sage tea ; and the early Dutch traders there 

 drove an excellent bargain on this basis : 4 jiounds of 

 best Young Hyson for 1 pound of dried Sage leaves. 

 In England, until within the last century, it was fre- 

 quently mixed with cheese. Thus Gay writes : 



"Marbled with Sage the hard'niug cheese she iiressed." 

 Within my own memory it was eaten witli bread and 

 butter, or chopped fine and baked between rich past- 

 ry. Toads have astrong passion for it, therefore it is 

 customory to plant among the Sage bushes a little 

 Rue, an herb, specially distasteful to them. 



" 'Here is Rue for thee,' the poor Ophelia cried," 

 Rue, which Shakespeare calls, 



" sour herb of grace, 

 Eue, eveu for Ruth;" 



and makes it grow where a wronged queen has 

 dropped a tear. I think he is a little unjust. Rue 

 has a record which deserves more honorali'le mention. 

 Every jthysieian knows that it was the chief ingredient 

 of the famous antidote of Mithridates, the true receipt 

 for which was as follows : "Two dry Walnut kernels, 

 two Figs, 20 leaves of Rue, one grain of salt, pounded 

 into mass. Whoever eats of this confection, fasting 

 in the morning, no power shall hurt him that diiy." 

 All the ancients, however, believed that for medical 

 or magical purjioscs Rue ought to be stolen from a 

 neighbor's garden. Pliny says that the Romans put 

 this herb into their wine to prevent headache, and 

 that painters and carvers chewed the leaves to pre- 

 serve their sight. That some faith in its beneficence 

 towards vision existed, even in the seventeenth cen- 

 tury, is evident from .Miiton making the angel Michael 

 purge Adam's eyes " with euphrasy and rue " in order 

 to enable him to see down the long centuries of time. 



It is said that weasels, before hunting rats, seek for 

 Rue, and that in warm climates they find in it an 

 antidote for the bite of snakes. Whether for its power 

 of antidoting evil, or for that of conferring clearer 

 vision, it received the honor of being used for sprink- 

 liug holy water, I do not know. ^However, in the 

 middle ages that was its religious office. Later on it 

 was used as a powerful disinfectant, and was also 

 made into a pickle, the leaves being at first boiled and 

 then jireserved in vinegar— the same plant that 

 charmed the bnavest King of Pontus, that aroniatized 

 the Ciesars' wine, and gave insight to Grecian sibyls 

 — the same, " but oh ! how ditierent ! " 



Perdita, in "The Winter's Tale," beautifully min- 

 gles Rue with Rosemary, thus : 



" For you, there's Rosemary and Eue ; these keep 

 Seemiug and savor all the winter long, 

 Grace aud remembrauce be with yon both." 

 And the fair Ophelia also uses the fragrant, dainty 

 Rosemary in the same manner : 



" There's Rosemary for you ; that's for remembrance ; 

 Pray you, love, remember." 



The accepted type of fidelity in love and friendship, 

 it was (and is yet in some places), the favorite fu- 

 neral flower, tlu! very best gift of love to tlie depart- 

 ed, placed upon the lips just before the coffin-lid is 

 closed. To this custom Kirke White pathetically al- 

 ludes while contemplating his own early death : 



" Come, funeral flower, who lovest to dwell 

 With the pale cor] se in lonely tomb. 

 And throw across the desert gloom 

 A sweet, decaying smell. 

 Come, press my lijis, and lie with me 

 Beneath the lonely alder tree ; 



And we will sleep a pleasant sleep, 



And not a care shall dare intrude, 

 To break the marble solitude. 



So peaceful aud so deep." 



Rosemary has been a favorite subject with many 

 English poets, iiartieularly Herrick and Shenstone. 

 It is very partial to gardens over which sea breezes 

 blow, and I have seen cliffs which were wet with the 

 spray of high tides covered with this delightful 

 plant, whose fragrance is often the first land perfume 

 that greets the homeward-bound. I am astonished 

 that Rosemary (Dew of tlie Sea) is not a greater fa- 

 vorite with married ladies ; for it is a universal tra- 

 dition, "If Rosemary flourishes in the earden, then 

 the lady rules the house." And how do we know 

 what occult jjowcr is hidden in a sprig of Rosemary ? 

 Surely it is a fair and fragrant scepter. Bees arc ex- 

 ceedingly fond of Rosemary, and the far-famed honey 

 of Narbonne derives its exquisite flavor from the 

 abundance of this herb in the vicinity. 



Rucellai says that Nature made Thyme on purpose 

 for bees to make honey of. If so, they improve her 

 gifts much better than we do God's best gifts to us. 

 The famous honey of Thymettus was not only the 

 extract of its fragrant Thyme banks, but the conden- 

 S|!ition of Grecian sunshine, of cloudless skies, and 

 hcavenlv atmospheres. Bees are not the only lovers 

 of Thyme. 



" Where the wild Thyme perfumes the purple heath, 

 Long loitering there the fleecy tribes extend." 



The Thyme banks of the Cheviot Hills are the se- 

 cret of the Cheviot mutton ; and the celebrated 

 Southdown — a saddle of which is a dish to be named 

 with respect — owes its delicate excellence to the same 

 source. In Spain they use a decoction of Thyme to 

 wash out vessels for wine, and the Anglo-Saxon all over 

 the world appreciates its flavor in his soups, ragouts, 

 and forcemeats. Thirty years ago it was used instead 

 of boxwood for bordering flower-beds — an old fashion 

 now, I know, and one I never think of apart from 

 some drowsy, quaint cathedral town — but it would 

 bear transplanting to our fresh modern gardens ; for 

 if the borders are kept trimly out, nothing can be 

 sweeter to the smell or fairer to the sight. 



Mint is also a great favorite with bees, and if 

 rubljed with honey inside bee hives it very soon at- 

 taches them to a new home. From the story of 

 Baucis and Philemon we are lead to infer that" the 

 Greek peasants scoured their tables with this herb ; 

 and the habit was probably just as common among 

 the Roman farmers, for Pliny says : "You will not 

 see a husbandman's board in the country but is all 

 seasoned from one end to the other with mint ;" and 

 he also mentions the custom of putting it in vinegar 

 to eat with meats. Spearmint prevents the coagula- 

 tion of milk, and is therefore an excellent salad for 

 those who use a milk diet. Aiiother variety — Pepper- 

 mint — makes a popular confection, and also gives a 

 name to a favorite American beverage composed of 

 mint, sugar, ice and brandy. Omitting tlie last in- 

 gredient, we would venture to say it was at least 

 " better than might be." 



Surely there are bitter cups enough in life without 

 mingling them, yet even wormwood has had its day. 

 It was the " bitters" of the Egyptians and the Ro- 

 mans ; and if any one desires to try it instead of 

 "Plantation," here is the receipt: "loz. of worm- 

 wood, 3 scruples of Arabian gum, .3 scruples of spike- 

 nard (lavender), 3 scruples of saffron, and 180 gal- 

 lons of old wine." I rather think the proportion of 

 wormwood to the wine is something aflcr the kind of 

 Falstaff's " halfpenny worth of bread to an intoler- 

 able deal of sack." The Greeks dedicated wormwood 

 to Diana, probably because dogs are great lovers of 

 it, and use it in all their disc.a,ses. The English dedi- 

 cated it to St. John the Baptist, and then, with 

 strange inconsistency, used it (before the discovery of 

 hops) in brewing their ale. Still, its consecration 

 was believed to have made it a potent spell against 

 witches ; perhaps it was still more successful against 

 moths and other insects. Nevertheless, the gift of 

 Isis and the plant of Diana is now little more than 



"the fat weed 

 That rots itself in ease on Lethe's wliarf " 



Yet surely there is some significance in herbs, else 

 why has " the hyssoj> that springeth out of the wall" 

 been so specially set apart for purifying and propitia- 

 tory services ? This herb was distinctly ordered to be 

 used in striking the lintels and doorpost with the 

 bloodof the Passover lamb. It was prominent in the 

 purifying services for the healed leper, and in the 

 ceremonies for cleansing unholy or unclean places. 

 David, in the very depths of his self-abasement, cries 

 out, " Pxirge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean ;" 

 and when the Great Atonement was offered for the 

 sins of the world, a sponge filled with vinegar, and 

 lifted upon hyssop to tlic lips of the Lamb "of God, 

 was the consummating rite of that stujiendous sacri- 

 fice. 



See, then, how 



" the meanest plant tha! grows can g've 

 Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears." 



Are there not wayside flowers that consecrate " the 

 fair humanities of old religion," secrets in a weed's 

 ]>lain heart well worth the winning, and homely herbs 

 rich with the spoils of time and nature'? Do not fear, 

 then, the lowliness of the subject, for , 



" Wisdom is oftentimes nearer when we stoop 

 Than wheu we soar." 



A. E. B.VKR. 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



Improved Hardy Hybrid Rhododendrons. 



Walter Elder, the well-known Landscape Gardener, 

 of Philadelphia, furnishes a valuable paper to the 

 Germantown Telegraph on the interesting subject of 

 growing hardy rhododendrons. He says: 



Ornamental gardening in Europe has made rajiid 

 advances in its improvements, within the present cen- 

 tury, and it now surpasses in gorgeous grandeur its 

 illustrious fame of former ages. The origin and intro- 

 duction of finer classes of ornamental plants, their 

 successful culture and judicious modes of arrange- 

 ment have made a revolution. The hardy hybrid 

 rhododendrons excel all other evergreen shrubbery 

 that have gone before them in their neat habits, beau- 

 tiful foliage, and the splendor and jirofusion of theii:. 

 blossoms, which dazzle the sight with their brilliancy. 

 The individual blooms are large, and the trusses of 

 immense sizes. Their colors and shades are from pure 

 white to dark crimson, and from faint lilac to deep 

 purple and plum colors. Every bloom is richly 

 spotted or blotched with darker colors. The light 

 colors shine like the finest silks, and the dark colors 

 look as rich as the most costly satins; all glitter beau- 

 tifully in sunshine. They are set in groups of various 

 sizes and forms upon the well-kept lawns, just as we 

 group bedding-plants. They make a most adnnrable 

 show. They reciuire but simple culture. Afterbeing 

 properly set out they need no farther care than to 

 keep them free of weeds. There they flourish and 

 bloom in their annual bloom and glory. Nothing 

 heretofore could equal them in the magnificent adorn- 

 ment they give to the park, the garden, and the 

 shrubbery. 



Many of our wealthy and liberal horticulturists are 

 turning their attention to the culture of the improved 

 varieties of rhododendrons. David Landreth, the 

 great seedsman, has grown a numerous variety for 

 twenty-five years back, upon his pleasure grounds. 

 Many gentlemen call at Bloomsdale every May to see 

 the rhododendrons when in bloom. Our leading nur- 

 serymen have choice collections for sale. In prepar- 

 ing for plantingthem.digthe soil a foot deep and mix 

 well with it leaf mould or rotten tan-bark or rotten 

 dung; pulverize fine and let it lie a fortnightor month 

 before planting. The plants are in pots and may be 

 set in May or June. 



The following is a good list to begin with : Albu 

 Elegant, pure white, crimson spots, large, fine truss; 

 Atrosanguineum, dark crimson, maroon blotch, large 

 truss; Blandyanum, deep rosy crimson, dark spots, 

 great truss; Broughtoni, shining rose, crimson spots, 

 large, fine truss; Hendersoni, purplish crimson, ma- 

 roon spots, large truss; John Waterer, brilliant car- 

 mine, dark blotch, immense truss; Everestianum, 

 rosy lilac, dark spots, crimped, fine truss; Ignesceres, 

 bright scarlet, crimson spots, verj' large truss; Vic- 

 toria, clear claret, crimson spots, very large truss; 

 Sir Robert Peel, shining scarlet, crimson spots, very 

 large truss; Mrs. John Cultton, clear white, rose 

 spots, splendid large truss; Sir Isaac Newton, deep 

 plum, maroon spots, a grand truss. 



Build Nests for the Birds. 



An exchange very sensibly remarks : " You who 

 have for many years been in the habit of giving the 

 birds a cold shoulder, if not actually destroying thenr 

 and frightening them away, for this year try the 

 opposite plan. Encourage the robin and blackbird 

 to build in the apple orchard, and put up a few boxes 

 about the yard and garden for the wren and the mar- 

 tin. Don't let the boys rob the nests, nor the town 

 marksmen to slaughter them murderously. Take a 

 little extra pains to watch your strawberries and 

 cherries during the few days they are ripening ; and 

 let the birds have fair sweep at the myriads of insect 

 pests that work destruction on every hand. Make 

 the birds your friends, and, our word for it, they will 

 more than repay you for the slight trouble and the 

 few berries they eat, by the check they will place on 

 the ravages of the insect pests of the farm and the 

 garden. 



^ 



Plant Trees — Useful and Ornamental. 



Need we urge the importance of planting orchards, 

 fruit gardens, shade trees, evergreens, flowering 

 shrubs, roses, climbers ? Do they not adorn, beau- 

 tify and improve home and add to the happiness of 

 all ? Plant trees. Plant every year, that the new 

 may tiike the place of the old. God has given us 

 fruits to be enjpyed every day of the year. Save a 

 few dollars from needless expenditures, that you 

 may increase the number of your fruit trees, for noth- 

 ing on the farm will pay so well. Prepare the ground 

 with care, jjlant, prune and cultivate properly, and 

 money ex|jcnded for trees is better invested than if 

 loaned at interest. 



^ 



The Ciierky was introduced into England by the 

 Roman? Pliny says : " The cherry did not exist in 

 Italy ben^re the period of the victory gained over 

 Mithridates by L. LncuUus, in the j^ear of the city 

 680. He was the first to introduce this tree from 

 Pontus ; and in the course of one hundred and twenty 

 years it has traveled beyond the ocean, and arrived in 

 Britannia even." 



