; ' 
AND VEGETABLE-GARDEN MANUAL. .- 141 
DESCRIPTIVE LIST 
OF 
AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL HERBS. 
These possess a strong spicy taste and odor, and are cultivated 
for various culinary and medicinal purposes. Those marked with 
an asterisk (*) are perennials, and, when once obtained, may be 
preserved for many years. The seed of these should be sown the 
middle of spring, in seed-beds, and transplanted in the ensuing 
autumn or spring. The.others are annuals, and come to perfec- 
tion the first season. These should be sown the middle of spring, 
and when the plants.are up a few inches high, may be thinned out 
to proper distances. Hach kind should be sown by itself, in drills 
about half an inch deep and twelve inches apart. To preserve for 
use, (unless otherwise directed,) they must be thoroughly dried, 
. the foliage finely pulverized, and placed in jars, bottles, or other 
air-tight vessels, securely corked, and labeled. 
ANISE.—(PIMPINELLA ANISUM. ) 
The seed of this herb possess considerable medicinal properties. 
They are aromatic and carminative, and yields an oil both by dis- 
tillation and expression, which is much,used in flatulencies. The 
leaves are used as a garnish and for seasoning various dishes. 
BALM.#—(MELISsA OFFICINALIS.) ~ 
This is purely a medicinal herb, and is used in the form of a tea 
as a grateful diluent in fevers. It should be gathered before it 
flowers, as it is then more odorous. It may be propagated from 
