60 THE CULTURE OF VEGETABLES 



mowings, may be used in making the hills, to give them the aid of a 

 warm bed for a brief space of time, for it is a great gain if they grow 

 freely from the first, and the natural heat will soon be enough for 

 them. 



The edible Gourds are useful in all their stages and ages ; and 

 if the cultivator has a fancy to grow large, handsome fruits, he can 

 make the business answer by hanging them up for use in winter, when 

 they may be employed in soups in place of Carrots, or in addition 

 to the usual vegetables, and may indeed be cooked in half a dozen 

 different ways. There remains yet one more purpose to which the 

 plants may be applied : supposing you have a great plantation of 

 edible Gourds and Marrows, and would like a peculiarly elegant and 

 delicious dish of Spinach, make a dish by pinching off a sufficiency 

 of the tops of the advancing shoots, and cook them Spinach fashion. 

 If properly done, it is one of the finest vegetables ever eaten. As 

 pinching off the tender tops of the shoots lessens the fruitfulness of 

 the vines, we only recommend this procedure where there is a large 

 plantation. 



Gourds may be trained to trellises, fences, and walls. In all 

 such cases, a good bed should be prepared of any light, rich loam, 

 and it will be none the less effective if made on a mound of ferment- 

 ing material. 



HERBS 



THE growing of SWEET HERBS from seed may be practised with 

 advantage where the demand for herbs is constant, as it is far easier 

 than raising plants from slips and cuttings, and insures to the cultivator 

 vigorous and true stocks of the several varieties. It is not wise to 

 grow large collections of herbs, for there are not a great number 

 now required for household purposes, and land and time can be 

 more profitably employed. On the other hand, the herbs that 

 retain their ancient popularity are more frequently used than ever 

 they were, for the good reason that people have learned to live well, 

 and the cooks are bound to call upon the gardeners for Mint and 

 Thyme, and Savory and Basil ; for Borage, Lavender, Tarragon, 

 and Marjoram. A few of the popular herbs, such as Mint, are never 

 grown from seed, or, at all events, those who venture on the pastime 

 might certainly do better. But a certain number such, for example, 

 as Basil, Borage, Burnet, Chervil, Dill, Fennel, Marjoram, Marigold, 



