36 CULINARY HERBS 



plants may be transplanted in autumn either from 

 the garden or from the bed of summer cuttings just 

 mentioned, kept in a rather cool temperature dur- 

 ing the winter and drawn upon for cuttings as the 

 stems become sufficiently mature. The rooting may 

 take place in a regular cutting bench, or it may occur 

 in the soil out of doors, the plantlets being trans- 

 planted to pots as soon as they have rooted well. 



If a large number of plants is desired, a hotbed 

 may be called into requisition in early spring and the 

 plants hardened off in cold frames as the season ad- 

 vances. Hardening off is essential with all plants 

 grown under glass for outdoor planting, because 

 unless the plants be inured to outside temperatures 

 before being placed in the open ground, they will 

 probably suffer a check, if they do not succumb 

 wholly to the unaccustomed conditions. If well 

 managed they should be injured not at all. 



LAYERS ' 



Several of the perennial herbs, such as sage, sav- 

 ory, and thyme, may be easily propagated by means 

 of layers, the stems being pegged down and cov- 

 ered lightly with earth. If the moisture and the 

 temperature be favorable, roots should be formed in 

 three or four weeks and the stem separated from the 

 parent and planted. Often there may be several 

 branches upon the stem, and each of these may be 

 used as a new plantlet provided it has some roots 

 or a rooted part of the main stem attached to it. By 

 this method I have obtained nearly 100 rooted plants 



