28 



BALM. 



on this subject should be multipliedj and with pickles dif- 

 fering in strength and quality." In the last edition of 

 Deane^s New England Farmer^ it is observed, " that to a 

 bed fifty feet by six, a bushel of salt may be applied, with 

 good effect, before the plants start in the spring." 



Use. — " The esculent part is the early shoots or buds, w^hen 

 three or four inches high, and partially emerged from the 

 ground in May or June. They are in great esteem in Britain, 

 and on the continent ; and this plant has, in consequence, 

 been cultivated for an unknown period. In Paris, it is much 

 resorted to by the sedentary operative classes, when they 

 are troubled with symptoms of gravel or stone." — Loudon, 



Forcing asparagus in hot beds. — The first step in this pro- 

 cess is to procure a supply of three year old plants, for none 

 else are fit for the purpose. Then form a hot bed, as di- 

 rected under the article Hot-bed, in the alphabetical ar- 

 rangement of this work. In this set the plants, at the dis- 

 tance of two mches. Armstrong observes, that the mode 

 of taking the plants from hot beds " differs from that used 

 for plants raised in the natural w^ay. If you employ a knife, 

 f ou cannot fail to destroy many young plants, (on account 

 of the closeness with which they stand to each other,) but 

 the mode in which you do least mischief, is, to thrust your 

 finger down alongside of the bud, and break it off at the 



700t." 



BALM. — Melissa officinalis, — " The balm is a hardy pe- 

 renni-;'. with square stems, which rise two feet high or more, 

 furnisiied with large ovate leaves, growing by pairs at each 

 joint. It is a native of Switzerland and the south of 

 France, produces flowers of a purplish colour from June to 

 October." There is a variety with hairy leaves. 



Propagation, — " It is readily propagated by parting the 

 roots, preserving two or three buds to each piece, or by 

 slips, either in autumn or spring." — Loudon, 



Culture, — " Pla^t the slips or sets in any bed of common 

 earth, by dibble or trowel, and from eight inches to a foot 

 apart, giving water, if dry weather. Those of the spring 

 planting will soon grow freely for use the same year ; and 

 afterwards will increase by the root into large bunches of 

 several years' continuance, furnishing annual supplies from 

 March to September." — Loudon, 



Dried Balm, — " Gather when coming into flower, and 



