304 T^he TraBical Kitchen Gardiner. 



there is fome now to be had (however ill 

 cultivated at prefent) in the phyfick gar- 

 den at Oxford, and in fome other places, 

 called the pepper mint, on account of 

 an agreeable predominancy there is of 

 that fpicy quality more in this than the 

 other kinds ; the water of which is much 

 finer and more virtuous than any of the 

 other kinds of mint water , the firft time 

 I ever tafted it was in the laboratory of 

 that truly ingenious and laborious culti- 

 vater of flowers, exoticks, and other cu- 

 riofities, the late Mr. Harris of Henly ; 

 which I mention the more in that I 

 would recommend it to the care and 

 cultivation of all gardiners, houfekecp- 

 crs, and ingenious ladies, previous to 

 all the other fpecies of this common, but 

 ufcful herb. 



It is well known to be very eafily 

 propagated by its own ftringy roots, 

 which, hydra- like, will fpring, cut it 

 off or to pieces ever fo muchj fuch a 

 plafticity there is in its nature, that no- 

 thing but balm can pretend to the like. 

 ^bafil To thefe foupe or pottag,e herbs, I 

 add, tho' mention'd by no author that I 

 have feen, the bafil, fo neceflary in the 

 heightning all foupes, ragoos and fauces, 



that 



