706 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



destitute of flavour. The Tarragon-plant flowers frequently, and 

 the flowers appear to be well formed. Some fertile seeds might be 

 accidentally produced, and if these were carefully gathered and 



sown, a regularly seeding 

 variety might be raised ; 

 but if from any cause 

 there should be a difficulty 

 in multiplying Tarragon- 

 plants by division, an 

 excellent substitute may 

 be obtained by growing 

 Tagetes lucida, a Composite 

 plant, which, although be- 

 longing to a quite different 

 genus, possesses in its 

 green parts almost exactly 

 the same flavour as the 

 true Tarragon. 



CULTURE. Being a 

 perennial, the Tarragon 



Tarragon (i natural size ; detached leaf. . .. , 



natural size). requires no particular at- 



tention. It is advisable, 



however, in severe winters without snow, to cut down the stems 

 and cover the necks of the plants with a litter of manure or 

 withered leaves, as, although originally a native of Siberia, the 

 cultivated Tarragon-plant is somewhat liable to suffer in very 

 frosty weather. 



COMMON THYME 



Thymus vulgaris, L. Labiata. 



French, Thy m ordinaire. German, Franzosischer Thy mian. Flemish, Thijmus. Dutch, 

 Tijm. Danish, Thimian. Italian, Timo. Spanish, Tomillo. Portuguese, Tomilho. 



Native of South Europe. Perennial. A very small dwarf 

 shrub with slender, stiff, branching, woody stems, bearing small 

 triangular leaves, more or less deep green in colour on the upper 

 surface and gray underneath. Flowers small, labiate, lilac-pink, in 

 round or ovoid terminal clusters, which lengthen after flowering. 

 The germinating power of the seeds lasts for three years. 



CULTURE. Thyme is usually planted as an edging in well- 

 drained soil in a warm position. It may be propagated by division 

 or cuttings, but is generally raised from seed, which yields vigorous 

 plants. The seed is sown in April, either where the plants are to 

 stand or in a seed-bed, from which the young plants are planted 

 out in June or July, about 4 in. apart. It is advisable to re-make 

 Thyme edgings every three or four years. 



