CULINARY HERBS 1 25 



beverages. The whole plant is used in distilling a 

 colorless oil which is used in making aromatic vine- 

 gars and other toilet preparations. A pound of oil 

 may be secured from 150 to 200 pounds of the plant. 



Sage (Salvia officinalis, Linn.), a perennial member 

 of the Labiatse, found naturally on dry, calcareous 

 hills in southern Europe, and northern Africa. In 

 ancient times, it was one of the most highly 

 esteemed of all plants because of its reputed health- 

 insuring properties. An old adage reads, "How can 

 a man die in whose garden sage is growing?" Its 

 very names betoken the high regard in which it was 

 held; salvia is derived from salvus, to be safe, or 

 salve o, to be in good health or to heal; (hence also 

 salvation!) and officinalis stamps its authority or indi- 

 cates its recognized official standing. The name sage, 

 meaning wisdom, appears to have had a different origin, 

 but as the plant was reputed to strengthen the memory, 

 there seems to be ground for believing that those who 

 ate the plant would be wise. 



Description. — The almost woody stems rise usually 

 15 to 18 inches high, though in Holt's Mammoth 

 ■double these sizes is not uncommon. The leaves are 

 oblong, pale green, finely toothed, lance-shaped, 

 wrinkled and rough. The usually bluish-lilac, some- 

 times pink or white flowers, borne in the axils of the 

 upper leaves in whorls of three or four, form loose 

 terminal spikes or clusters. Over 7,000 of the small 

 globular, almost black seeds, which retain their 

 vitality about three years, are required to weigh an 

 ounce, and nearly 20 ounces to the quart. 



Cultivation. — Sage does best upon mellow well- 



