D. M. FERRY &. GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



43 



AMERICAN PURPLE TOP, OR LONG ISLAND RUTA 



BAG A. —This is a strain of Purple Top Yellow Ruta Bajja of 

 Ajnerican origin, selected to a smaller top and much shorter 

 neck than is usually found, while the roots grow to an enor- 

 mous size under favorable conditions. We consider this one 

 of the most desirable kinds on our list. 



D. M. FERRY & COS IMPROVED PURPLE TOP YEL- 

 LOW RUTA BAGA.— A hardy and productive variety. Flesh 

 yellow, of solid texture, sweet and well flavored: shape 

 sUghtlv oblong, terminating abruptly: color deep purple above 

 and bright yellow under the ground: leaves small, light green. 

 Has but little neck. 



SUTTON'S CHAMPION RUTA BAGA — Roots large, 

 spherical, purple on top: flesh yellow, tender and sweet; an 

 excellent keeper and enormous yielder. 



DRUMMOND'S.— An improved strain of purple top Swede, 

 excelling in uniformity of shape, color and quality. A large 

 proportion of the roots would be considered by the most 

 critical as an extra table sort. 



SHEPHERD'S GOLDEN GLOBE.-A choice English 

 strain in which the tops of the large round roots are bronze- 

 green and the flesh is deep orange color; very un if orm and 

 true. A most desirable sort. 



BANGHOLM RUTA BAGA.— Avery superior variety, both 

 in form and quality, and held in high estimation in many parts 

 of England. Of large size, small heck, few or no side roots, 

 and jields well. Flesh yellow, sweet and sohd: skin yellow 

 with piuple top. 



SWEET RUSSIAN, OR WHITE RUTA BAGA.— This 

 variety Ls most excellent, either for the table or stock. It 

 grows' to a very large size: flesh white, sohd, of firm texture, 

 sweet and rich: an excellent keeper. 



AMERICAN PURPLE TOP. 



AROMATIC, MEDICINAL and POT HERBS. 



General Cultural Directions.— Most of the varieties 

 thrive bt«t on rich, sandy .soil, which should be carefullj' pre- 

 pared and well cultivatefj. as the young plants are for the 

 most part delicate and easily choked out by weeds. Sow as 

 early as the ground can W made ready, in driUs sixteen to 

 eighteen inches apart, taking pains that the soil is fine and 

 pressed firmly over the seed, or thej' may be planted as a 

 second crop— the seeds sown in beds in April, and the plants 

 set out in June. Most of them should be cut when in bloom, 

 wilted in the sun. and thoroughly dried in the shade. 



ANISE C Pimpinella ardsuni). French. Anis. German, 

 Anis.—X well known annual herb whose seeds, which have 

 an agreeable aromatic odor and taste, are u.sed for dy.spepsia 

 and colic, and as a corrective of griping and uDplea,sant medi- 

 cines. Sow earh* and thin to three inches apart in the row. 



BALM (Melissa officinalis). French. Melisse. German. 

 Melisse.—A perennial herb, ea-sily propagated by division of 

 the root or from seed. The leaves have a fragrant odor. 

 similar to lemons, and are used for making balm tea for use in 

 fevers, and a pleasant beverage called balm wine. Plant 

 early and thin to ten inches apart. 



BASIL, SWEET (Ocimum basilicum). French. Basilic. 

 German. Basilikum.—A hardy annual from the East Indies. 

 The seed and stems are used' for flavoring soups and sauces, 

 having the flavor of cloves. 



BORAGE (Borago officinalis). French. Bourrache. Ger- 

 man. Borretsch.—A hardy armual. used as a pot herb, and for 

 bee pasturage. The leaver immersed in water give it an agree- 



able taste and flavor. Sow in April and thin to eight inche.s. 

 apart. In some places this sows itself and becomes a weed. 



CARAWAY (Carum cariii). French. Carvi. German. 

 Kummel. Cultivated for its seed, which is used in confec- 

 tionery, cakes, etc. The leaves are sometimes used in soups. 

 K sowTi in August the plants will give a fair crop of seed the 

 next season. Plant in drills two or three feet apart, and thin 

 to six inches apart in the row. 



CAT=niNT, OR CATNIP. (Xepeta cataria). French. 

 Xepeta. German. Kafzenkraut.—X hardy perennial. weU 

 known as a valuable mild nervine for infants. The plants- 

 should be pulled up by the roots when in full flower, and dried 

 in the shade. The seed may be sown either in the fall or early 

 spring, in driUs twenty inches apart. 





BORAGE. 



CORIANDER. 



CORIANDER (Coriandrum .<!ativum'). French. Coriandre. 

 German. Koriander.—X hardy animal, cultivated for its seed, 

 which has an agreeable taste, and is used in confectionery, 

 and to disguise the taste of medicine. Sow early in the spring, 

 and gather on a dry day. bruising the stems" and leaves as 

 httle as jxissible. for when injure^l the}' have a disagreeable 

 odor, which they impart to the seed. 



DANDELION (Taraxncnm officinale). French. Pissenlit. 

 German. Lotrenzahyi. Improved Thick Lea red. One of the 

 earlie.'it and best greens in cultivatitpn.—For this purpose 

 sow early in the spring, on very warm, rich soil, in drills 

 eighteen 'inches apart: thin the young plants to five inches 

 in the row. and cultivate well, anil they will lie fit for cutting 

 the next spring. It is als<-> grown extensively for its roots: 

 for this purpose sow in September, and cultivate well during 



