152 THE BOOK OF HERBS 



Herb Patience or Patience Dock is raised from seed 

 sown in lines and thinned out and the leaves to be eaten 

 must be cut young. Burnet is easily raised from seed, 

 or increased by dividing the roots in the spring. All 

 the flower-stalks ought to be cut down, if they are not 

 required for seed. Dandelion, it is hardly necessary to 

 say, is only too easily raised from seed or by roots. 

 Loudon says that when wanted for the table, the leaves 

 should be tied together and earthed up, which will 

 blanch them satisfactorily ; otherwise, it may be grown 

 blanched by keeping it always in a dark place. 



For obvious reasons there are obstacles to the cultiva- 

 tion of Water-cress ; a very little running water, 

 however, will sufHce, and it may be grown from seeds 

 or by setting roots in the shallow stream. It should 

 never be grown in stagnant water. Loudon quotes 

 several authorities on the subject of growing Samphire ; 

 it is difficult to please, but this treatment was successful 

 at Thames Ditton. The Samphire was " placed in a 

 sheltered, dry situation, screened from the morning 

 sun, protected by litter in the winter, and in the spring 

 the soil was sprinkled with a little powdered barilla, 

 to console it for the lack of its beloved sea- spray." 

 It is raised from seed which should be sown as soon as 

 it is ripe, or the roots may be divided. 



In the early part of August, the young shoots should 

 be cut back, and the decayed flower-stems removed, 

 on such plants as hyssop, sage, lavender, and the like, 

 and they will then send out new short shoots, which 

 will make a close, bushy head for the winter. If 

 possible, this should be done in damp weather. In 

 October, the beds should be weeded ; if the plants 

 stand at some distance from each other, the earth 

 between should be loosened, and if the beds are old, a 

 little manure would be a great advantage. Amongst 

 close - growing herbs, digging is impossible, but 



