308 GARDENING FOK PKOFIT. 



Shamrock. One of the finest purple- top varieties in 

 cultivation ; forms a handsome bulb, with small top and 

 very few leaves ; an excellent keeper and good for stock 

 or table use. 



Large White French. A superior variety for table or 

 stock ; flesh firm, white and solid ; attains a large size, 

 and has a very rich and sweet flavor ; a very popular 

 variety. 



THYME, SAGE, SUMMER SAVORY, AND MAR- 

 JORAM. 



I believe even yet the cultivation of Sweet Herbs, for 

 market purposes, is but little known in this country, ex- 

 cept in the vegetable gardens in the vicinity of New 

 York ; there it is practised to an extent of perhaps 100 

 to 150 acres, a fair average profit of which would be 

 about $250 per acre. Like the crops of Celery, Spinach, 

 or Horseradish, they are grown only as second crops, 

 that is, they are planted in July, after an early crop of 

 Peas, Cabbages, Beets, or Onions has been sold off. 

 The kinds are Thyme, Sage, Summer Savory, and 

 Sweet Marjoram, the former two being grown in the ratio 

 of ten acres to one of the others. 



The seed is sown in rows in April in rich mellow soil, 

 carefully kept clean from weeds until the plants are fit to 

 set out, which may be done any time that the ground is 

 ready from middle of June until end of July. As the 

 plants are usually small and delicate, it is necessary that 

 the ground be well fined down by harrowing with the disc 

 harrow, or raking before planting. The distance apart, 

 for all the kinds, is about the same, namely, twelve 

 inches between the rows, and eight or ten inches be- 

 tween the plants ; the lines are marked out by the 

 " marker." This is the "marker" used for many 

 other purposes ; in lining out the rows for Early Cab- 



