250 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE FARM 



also in situations appropriate to them. By the waterside are 

 marsh-mint (Blephila ciliata) and watermint {Mentha cana- 

 densis) , as sweet as any mints of the gardens. On the hilltops 

 are fine wild bergamots and basils, sweet-fern (fig. 80), fra- 

 grant everlasting (fig. 130), odorous goldenrod, and other 

 sweet things, having scents in pleasing and endless variety. 

 These are among the wild things that every one should 

 know. 



Study 35. Aromatic Herbs of the Farm 



The program of work for this study will consist of a trip 

 along fence-row, brookside, waste places, and woods, devoted 

 to finding the wild aromatic herbs. Test all kinds of foliage 

 by drawing it through the hands and smelling of it. Test 

 barks and woods also. Certain odorous roots such as sweet 

 Cicely and sarsaparilla, should be dug up and crushed and 

 tested; also the seeds of any umbelworts found ripe. A few 

 rank-smelling aromatics, like richweed, should be included, 

 by way of contrast. A look-in upon the aromatics of an herb 

 garden may conclude the work. 



The record of this study may well consist of a table of 

 aromatic herbs, prepared with column headings as follows: 



Name (of plant). 



Grows where (in what sort of place, wet or dry, sun or 

 shade, etc.). 



Growth-habit (erect, trailing, creeping, climbing, twining, 

 etc.). 



Part aromatic (leaves, stem, root, seed, etc.). 



Character of aroma. 



Suited to what use. 



Remarks. 



