138 CULINARY HERBS 



for culinary purposes. The name is from the Greek 

 word thyo, or sacrifice, because of its use as incense 

 to perfume the temples. With the Romans it was 

 very popular both in cookery and as a bee forage. 

 Like its relatives sage and marjoram, it has practi- 

 cally disappeared from medicine, though formerly 

 it was very popular because of its reputed properties. 



Description. — The procumbent, branched, slender, 

 woody stems, which seldom reach 12 inches, bear 

 oblong, triangular, tapering leaves from % to yi 

 inch long, green above and gray beneath. In the 

 axils of the upper leaves are little pink or lilac flow- 

 ers, which form whorls and loose, leafy spikes. The 

 seeds, of which there are 170,000 to the ounce, and 

 24 ounces to the quart, retain their germinating 

 power for three years. 



Cultivation. — Thyme does best in a rather dry, 

 moderately fertile, light soil well exposed to the 

 sun. Cuttings, layers and divisions may be made, 

 but the popular way to propagate is by seed. Be- 

 cause the seed is very small, it should be sown very 

 shallow or only pressed upon the surface and then 

 sprinkled with finely sifted soil. A small seedbed 

 should be used in preference to sowing in the open 

 ground first, because better attention can be given 

 such little beds ; second, because the area where the 

 plants are ultimately to be can be used for an early- 

 maturing crop. In the seedbed made out of doors 

 in early spring, the drills may be made 4 to 6 inches 

 apart and the seeds sown at the rate of 5 or 6 to the 

 inch. A pound should produce enough plants for 

 an acre. In hand sowing direct in the field, a fine 



