MISCELLANEOUS 145 



a foot or more apart. Herbs should be cut on a 

 dry day just before they come into full blossom, 

 tied in bunches and hung up in the attic or spread 

 thinly on a floor where they can dry quickly. Of 

 course cuttings for daily use, green, may be made 

 at any time, but too severe cutting weakens the plants. 

 Seedsmen sell plants, ready to set, of some of the 

 better-known herbs. Many of the perennial kinds 

 may be propagated by dividing the roots which is 

 a good thing to do every few years ; and, when doing 

 so, discard the old, run-out part of each clump. 



Among the better-known perennial herbs are the 

 following: Balm, catnip, fennel, horehound, hyssop, 

 lavender (not hardy too far north), sweet marjoram, 

 pennyroyal, peppermint, rosemary, rue, sage, spear- 

 mint, tansy, tarragon, thyme, winter savory, worm- 

 wood. Anise, coriander, summer savory and sweet 

 basil are annuals. Caraway and dill are biennials. 

 A winter mulch of straw or leaves is a good thing 

 for the perennial herbs. 



LEEK. Used in cooking, as a seasoning. Milder 

 than the onion. Sow early in April, in drills one foot 

 apart and one inch deep. When plants are six inches 

 high, transplant in a deep, rich soil, in rows twelve 

 inches apart and six inches in the rows, as deep as 

 possible, so that the neck may be covered and 

 blanched; draw the earth to them as they grow. 

 The seed may also be sown in August or September 

 and plants transplanted in the spring. The thick 

 leaves, as well as the soft bulb, are used. Leeks 

 may be stored green, with the roots in moist earth, 

 in a cool cellar. 



MUSHROOM. The growing of mushrooms in 

 cellars, sheds, etc., is sometimes called a fad, but 

 unlike ginseng culture it has substantial American 



