332 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



Sagfy {Salvia officinalis]) is a Labiate-flowered, hardy- 

 evergreen undershrub, a native of the south of Europe. 

 It has been cultivated from the earliest times, was classed 

 among the heroic remedies, and considered the best of 

 medicines for prolonging human life. An old Latin adage 

 is " Cur moriatur homo cui salvia crescit in horto ?" " Why 

 should a man die while sage is growing in hi^ garden ? " 

 It grows about two feet high, with wrinkled ashy green 

 leaves, and terminal blue flowers in long spikes. It has a 

 fragrant smell, and a warm, bitterish, aromatic taste. 



Culture. — Sage is raised from seed, slips, or cuttings. 

 It likes a dry, fertile soil. Sow the seeds on a gentle hot- 

 bed, or in the open ground, early in spring, in shallow 

 drills, eight inches apart. Press the earth upon the seed, 

 covering them not over half an inch deep. Thin the- 

 plants, when Avell up, to half a foot apart, planting those 

 taken up at a similar distance. Keep the soil light and 

 free from weeds. In the autumn, or the next spring, plant 

 them out in rows eighteen inches each way. Layers and 

 rooted offsets may be set out at once at this distance. 

 Cuttings of the outward shoots of the current year's 

 growth, planted out in a shady border, in moist weather, 

 readily take root ; set them in rows six inches apart. In 

 autumn or spring, take them carefully up and set them 

 out in their final stations. Trim the plants to a round, 

 bushy head. Gather and dry the leaves for winter use, 

 but do not trim the plants too closely, especially in 

 autumn or winter. 



Use. — The leaves are used for seasoning stuffings, 

 sauces, and many kinds of meat, as well as to improve 

 the flavor of various other articles of cookery. Medici- 

 nally its infusion is given warm as a sudorific, or mingled 

 with vinegar and alum is an excellent gargle in sore 

 throat. It is stated by Bomare, that it was exported 

 formerly by the Dutch to China, and it was so much pre- 



