MARJORUM— PARSNIP. 



237 



Origanum — Marjoram. 

 The name Origanum in Greek signifies delight of the 

 mountain, and this plant is thus named from its growing 

 in dry, elevated situations. Four species of this plant are 

 cultivated, of which two are sufficient for the garden. 

 These are 



Origanum Marjoram.- — S^veet marjoram, a hardy annual 

 or biennial plant, a native of Portugal, and introduced into 

 English gardens in 1573. It has small, acute leaves, and 

 it flowers in small, close heads. 



Origanum Heracleoticum. — Winter marjoram, a hardy 

 perennial, a native of Greece, and first cultivated in Eng- 

 land in 1640. Leaves like the preceding, but flowers in 

 spikes. 



Culture. — Marjoram likes a dry, tolerably rich soil, and 

 free from shade. Sweet marjoram is propagated from 

 $eed ; the other, by seed or by dividing the roots in the 

 spring and fall. The plants must be watered until estab- 

 lished. Plants of Sweet marjoram should be six inches 

 apart ; while twelve is not too much for the other variety. 

 ~ Sow from February to April. As the seeds of the marjo- 

 ram are very small, the ground must be prepared very 

 fiiiely, and a very light mark made for them, covering 

 them by drawing over them the back of the rake. The 

 culture is like basil, which see. To preserve the tops for 

 winter use, and to save seed, also see "Basil."' 



Use. — Both species are aromatics of sweet flavor, much 

 used in soups, broths, stuffings, &c. The young and ten- 

 der leaves are used while green, and the tops dried for 

 winter use. 



Pastinaca Sativa — Parsnip. 

 This is a biennial, a native of Sardinia and various parts 

 of Europe. It has long been an inmate of the garden. In 



