704 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



TANSY 



Tanacetum vulgar e, L. Composites. 



French, Tanaisie. German, Gemeiner Rainfarn, Wurmkraut. Danish, Reinfang. 

 Italian, Atanasia. Stanisk, Tanaceto. 



Native of Europe. — Perennial, — A plant forming a clump of 

 very permanent growth. Stems annual, erect, rounded, usually not 

 branching, and about 3 ft. high ; leaves oval oblong, but very much 

 divided and very deeply cut into narrow segments, which are also 



divided into exceedingly slender toothed 

 lobes ; flower-heads small, numerous, 

 in compound, terminal, and rather 

 crowded corymbs ; florets deep yellow ; 

 seeds small, long, almost conical, with 

 five prominent grayish ribs. Their 

 germinating power lasts for two years. 

 Two varieties of this plant are in cul- 

 tivation — namely, the Common Tansy, 

 which is the same as the wild plant, 

 and a curled-leaved variety, the leaves 

 of which, in addition to the ordinary 

 use, may also be employed for 

 garnishing, like those of the Curled 

 Mallow. 



Culture. — The Tansy, like the Wormwood, demands no 

 cultural care, and a plant or two of it growing in the corner of 

 the garden is usually sufficient for all requirements. It is gener- 

 ally multiplied by division in spring or autumn. By cutting off 

 the flower-heads as they appear, the production of leaves is pro- 

 longed in the latter end of summer and in autumn. 



Uses. — The leaves are used for seasoning, etc. 



GOLDEN THISTLE 



Scolymus Jiispanicus, L. CompositCB. 



French, Scolyme d'Espagne. Dutch, Varkens distel. Italian, Barba gentile. Spanish, 



Escolimo. 



Native of Southern Europe. — Biennial. — A plant with a white 

 and rather fleshy tap-root. Radical leaves oblong, usually varie- 

 gated with pale green on a dark green ground, very spiny, and 

 narrowed at the base into the leaf-stalk ; stem very branching, from 

 2 to 2 J ft. high, furnished with sessile, decurrent, and very spiny 

 leaves ; flowers of bright yellow, in sessile heads of two or three 

 flowers each ; seeds flat, yellowish, surrounded by a white scarious 

 appendage. Their germinating power lasts for three years. The 

 seed is sown in March or April, in well-dug soil, in the same 



Tansy (o-\ natural size). 



