

1891.] The History of Garden Vegetables. 701 
THYME. Thymus vulgaris L. 
A plant native to the southern countries of Europe, and which 
has been long cultivated in more northern countries. In English 
culture it is recorded about 1548,” and it is mentioned by Ger- 
arde in 1597, and succeeding authors. It succeeds as an annual 
even in Iceland,” and is recorded as grown in the tropical gar- 
dens of the Mauritius.’ Three varieties are known: the narrow- 
leaved, Thymus vulgaris, tenuiore folio of Bauhin 1596; the 
broad-leaved, Thymus vulgaris, latiore folio of Bauhin,® 1596; 
and the variegated, Thymus variegato folio of Tournefort,™ and 
also mentioned by Bauhin © in 1623. It was known in American 
gardens in 1806 or earlier, and the broad-leaved kind is.the one 
now principally grown in the herb-garden for use in seasonings. 
The common, French, or narrow-leaved thyme is called in 
France, thyme ordinaire, faligoule, farigoule, frigoule, mignotese du 
Genevois, pote, pouilleux ; in Germany, franzosischer thymian ; in 
Flanders, ¢héymus ; in Holland, tm; in Denmark, thimian ; in 
Italy, zimo, pepolino ; in Spain, tomillo ; in Portugal, tomilho ; * 
in Norway, “imian;® in Arabic, kasha ; in Hindustani, tpar; ® 
in India, espar.” 
Thymus serpyllum L. 
This is a very variable plant, occurring wild in Europe, and 
sparingly naturalized in some localities in Northeastern America. 
In 1726 Townsend” speaks of it in English gardens, but not as 
a pot-herb; but it is placed among American pot-herbs by 
McMahon ® in 1806. At the present time it is occasionally used 
6 Booth, Treas. of Bot. 
& Bauhin. Pin., 1623, 219. 
., 89. 
® Birdwood. Veg. Prod. of a bag 243. 
10 Speede. Ind. Handb. of Gard., 
™ Townsend. Seedsman, 1726, oa 
Am. Nat.—August.—2. 

