THYME. 583 



This very useful substitute for Spinach, since it was 

 first brought into notice by Mr. Anderson, in a com- 

 munication to the Horticultural Society, VoL iv. p. 488. 

 of its Transactions, has been very generally cultivated 

 in gardens. The great advantage it possesses is that of 

 supplying fresh leaves, fit for use, through the whole 

 summer, even in the driest weather, when the crops of 

 summer Spinach are useless. It has been found to be 

 both hardier and easier to manage in the open border 

 of the garden than was at first supposed ; and it is also 

 sufficiently productive of seeds. 



It must be raised from seeds in a hot-bed in March, and 

 kept in small pots till the plants can be turned out into 

 the common ground, in the end of May or beginning of 

 June. One of these plants will spread three feet, and 

 if the soil be rich, four feet or more ; so that care must 

 be taken to give it plenty of room. It is best to be 

 turned out upon a somewhat elevated bed or ridge, and 

 to have a southern aspect, in order to secure the ripening 

 of its seeds. 



. On poor soil it seeds freely ; and plenty may be ob- 

 tained by picking up the capsules from underneath the 

 branches as they drop off in the autumn ; and also by 

 hanging up the branches, as we would those of the Ice 

 plant. 



73. THYME. 



The common Thyme has the aromatic qualities pecu- 

 liar to Lavender, Sage, Rosemary, and other Labiatae. 

 It yields a species of camphor in distillation with water. 

 In Spain they infuse it in the pickle with which they 

 preserve their olives. 



There are two sorts cultivated in our gardens : * 



1. Common Thyme. Thymus Vulgaris. 



2. Lemon Thyme. Thymus Citriodorus. 



PP 4 



