OLERACEOUS PLANTS. — ANGELICA. 



239 



ted marjoram) — belongs to the natural order 

 Labiatse, and to the class Didynamia and order 

 Gymnospermia in the Linnsean arrangement. 

 The first is indigenous to Britain, and common 

 on dry chalky wastes ; the second is a native 

 of the south of Europe, and was introduced in 

 1 640 ; the third is a native of Portugal, intro- 

 duced in 1573 ; and a fourth, 0. onites (pot mar- 

 joram), a native of Sicily, was introduced in 1759. 

 The generic name is derived from Oros, a moun- 

 tain, and ganos, joy — as if they were the joy of 

 the places where they naturally grow. Common 

 marjoram is a hardy perennial plant, readily 

 propagated by division ; and although it will 

 continue for many years in most soils, a new 

 plantation should be made every second or third 

 year, setting the plants about 15 inches apart; 

 and the operation may be performed in autumn 

 or spring. Winter sweet marjoram is also a 

 pretty hardy perennial, seldom, however, ripen- 

 ing its seed in this country; it is therefore, in 

 general, propagated by cuttings, treated as we 

 have recommended for savory : it requires a 

 warm exposure and a dry soil. Sweet or knotted 

 marjoram is a hardy biennial, rarely ripening its 

 seed in this country ; it should be treated as an 

 annual, and sown every year ; it should be sown 

 in March, on a slight hot-bed in Scotland, but in 

 England it is usually sown on a dry warm border 

 in April. In the former case it should be trans- 

 planted, about the beginning of May, to a warm 

 dry place, setting the plants in rows 15 inches 

 asunder, and 9 inches apart in the line. The 

 pot marjoram is a sufficiently hardy dwarf 

 half-shrubby plant to stand our ordinary win- 

 ters in the open border ; it should, however, be 

 propagated every third or fourth year by cut- 

 tings for new plantations, and treated like win- 

 ter sweet marjoram. 



The leaves and tender tops of all the marjo- 

 rams are the parts used ; they are in constant 

 demand, being used in soups, made dishes, and 

 other culinary preparations. Seeds of all the va- 

 rieties may be obtained in the seed-shops ; and 

 plants, with all other sweet herbs of a perennial 

 character, may also be purchased — and where 

 the quantity required is small, it is the most 

 proper way. A quarter of an ounce of seed is 

 sufficient for most ordinary gardens, and the 

 same may be taken as the average quantity for 

 most other herbs of the same description ; they 

 are all cut as they come into flower, and should 

 be preserved as already recommended. When 

 grown from seed, sow in drills, 9 inches apart 

 and half an inch deep, in light finely-pulverised 

 soil ; from six to twelve plants of each of these 

 will be sufficient for a small garden. 



The leaves of common marjoram are used in 

 many places as a substitute for tea, and also, 

 along with those of 0. Majorana, form ingre- 

 dients in cephalic snuff. According to Forskahl 

 (p. 59), the latter species derives its name from 

 Marjamic (maryamych), its Arabic name. The 

 European names of the marjorams are — La mar- 

 jolaine in French; Der majoran in German; 

 Mariolein in Dutch ; Maggiorana in Italian ; 

 Mejorana in Spanish; Macran in Russian ; Mai- 

 cran in Polish. 



Anise (Tragium anisum, Spr. — Pimpinella 



anisum L.) belongs to the natural order Um- 

 belliferse, sub-order Orthospermse, and tribe 

 Amminese, and to the class Pentandria and 

 order Digynia in the Linnsean arrangement. The 

 generic name is derived from Tragos, a goat, 

 from the resemblance in odour to the smell of 

 that animal. Linnseus's original name of Pin- 

 pinella has been altered, according to himself, 

 from Bipennula — twice pinnate, in allusion to 

 the leaves. Anisum is derived from Anysun, its 

 Arabic name. It is a native of Egypt, intro- 

 duced in 1551. Being an annual, it is sown 

 yearly in April in drills, three quarters of an 

 inch in depth and 15 inches asunder, and the 

 plants thinned to a foot apart in the rows. A 

 deep light soil is most proper. The seeds are 

 used for distillation and expression, and im- 

 ported in large quantities from Malta and Spain. 

 They are also used in confectionary, and the 

 green leaves in salads, and for seasoning and 

 garnishing like fennel. The seed should be 

 sown where the plants are to remain, as it does 

 not succeed very well by transplanting. They 

 are best raised on a slight bottom-heat for the 

 climate of Scotland, two seeds in each pot of the 

 60 size, and in May turned out with the balls 

 entire. In England this care is not requisite. 

 Gather the crop for its seed when they are ripe, 

 and during summer the young side-leaves will 

 afford abundant supply for other purposes. 



Its European names are — Anis or Boucage in 

 French ; Kleine bibernel in German ; Kleine 

 bevernel in Dutch ; Pimpinella sassifraga in 

 Italian; Pimpinella blanca in Spanish; Pimpi- 

 nella branca in Portuguese; Bedvenez in Russian. 



Angelica (Angelica archangelica L.) belongs 

 to the natural order Umbelliferse, sub-order 

 Orthospermse and tribe Angelicese, and to the 

 class Pentandria and order Digynia in the Lin- 

 nsean arrangement. The generic name is derived 

 from its supposed angelic virtues ; its spe- 

 cific name from Arch, superior — an augmen- 

 tative prefix : indigenous to England. Though 

 only a biennial, it may be made to continue se- 

 veral years by cutting over the flower-stem 

 before it ripens seeds, in which case it imme- 

 diately pushes out below. Considerable quan- 

 tities of this plant are grown by the London 

 gardeners in moist situations, and along the 

 banks of ditches. It is cultivated for its leaves 

 and the tender flower-stalks, which were for- 

 merly blanched like celery. In the north of 

 Europe the leaves and stalks are eaten raw, or 

 boiled with meat and fish. In England and 

 France the tender stems, stalks, and midribs of 

 the leaves, cut in May, are candied by the con- 

 fectioners, and a second crop will be produced 

 the same season. If the stalks are allowed to 

 flower, seed will be abundantly produced, which 

 should be gathered as it ripens, as it soon sheds 

 itself. 



The seeds are sown in August, or indeed as 

 soon as they ripen, to have the advantage of 

 stronger plants in spring than if sowing were 

 delayed to that time. Indeed, all biennials 

 should be sown as soon as their seeds are per- 

 fected. When the plants are about 6 inches 

 high, take them up carefully by loosening the 

 ground about and under them, as they have 



