42 



THE HERB-GARDEN 



seeds are difficult to get. Its tubers were eaten 

 either roasted or boiled. History tells us that the 

 Emperor Tiberias valued it so much that he 

 accepted it as tribute, and it was conveyed to him 

 from Gelduba, a castle on the River Rhine. In 

 Scotland the plant is known as Crummock. 



There are many salad Herbs we can grow from 

 seed, if we like, such as Corn-salad or Lamb's 

 Lettuce, in France called Mdches, or by the 

 peasants Tusette. It is almost alw^ays served with 

 turkey. Chicory, Cichorium Intybus, is a good 

 Christmas salad, and should be sown in June ; the 

 leaves will furnish the salad-bowl, and the roots can 

 be blanched and eaten like Seakale, but these 

 plants seem more in place in the kitchen-garden. 

 Nor do we care to grow Nasturtiums among the 

 Herbs : they are so common everyw^here and so 

 greedy of room ; but there was a time when they 

 were as much prized for their usefulness as for thek 

 gay flowers ; the * nuts,' or capsules, were a sub- 

 stitute for capers, and infusions of the plant wxre 

 considered aromatic, cordial, and antiscorbutic ; the 

 petals, too, went into salads. 



In fine summers we always save our seeds, but 

 never grudge the expense of buying fresh. The 

 cost is but trifling, and warmer climes have better 



