THE HERB GARDEN 307 



leaves, and when the flower heads are required, as with 

 Lavender, Camomile, and Marigolds, they are most de- 

 sirable before being fully open. When seed is wanted 

 the plant must, of course, be allowed to flower and fully 

 mature its seed. Flower heads or leaf stalks should 

 then be tied into small bunches, and hung in an airy, 

 shady place shady, "that the sun draw not out their 

 virtue." When quite dry the leaves may be stripped 

 from the stalks and rubbed through a fine sieve and put 

 in tightly corked and labelled bottles. 



Many good and pleasant things may be made from 

 the products of the herb garden, and the collecting of old 

 books on cookery, household matters, or of the toilet be- 

 comes a most gripping passion. There is no room to tell 

 of the cordials, wines, vinegars, blends for glorifying the 

 humble stew or stimulating the salad, sweet waters, and 

 bags for invigorating baths, as well as for the linen chest, 

 that one may have by growing these humble plants, but 

 any one who does grow themjwill not long allow them to 

 go unused. The old custom of putting bags of sweet 

 herbs under the door mat, that balmy odours might 

 enter with the guests, is certainly a pleasing one, and 

 also that of hanging such bags in doorways or windows, 

 or placing them beneath the chair cushions. 



In Donald McDonald's book of "Fragrant Flowers 

 and Leaves," for which all those interested in the subject 

 should be grateful, he says: "Man alone seems born 

 sensible to the delights of perfumes and employs them 



