168 



HOME AND GARDEN 



The process is the same with the leaves of Sweet 

 Geranium, only that they are taken off their stalks 

 before they are dried, and all but the smallest are 

 pulled into three or four pieces. They take about 

 as long to dry as the Rose petals, and are laid 

 out in the same way on the Rose-cloths. Sweet 

 Verbena is of such a quick-drying nature that it 

 only has to be stripped from the stalk and can be 

 put in the jars at once ; also Bay leaves, Rosemary 

 leaves, and Lavender ; but all are treated alike in 

 that they are put into the jars in moderate layers, 

 lightly rammed, salted and pressed. 



Lavender, whether for Pot-pourri or for drying, 

 should be cut as soon as a good proportion of the 

 lower flowers in the spike are out. My friends 

 often tell me that ray Lavender smells better than 

 theirs ; but it is only because I watch for the right 

 moment for cutting, and am careful about the drying. 

 If it is picked for drying, and is laid too thickly, it 

 soon goes mouldy; it must be laid thinly and turned 

 once or twice till it is dry enough to be safe. 



An important ingredient in good Pot-pourri is 

 strips of Seville Orange peel stuck with Cloves. 

 The peel is taken off and cut in pieces from end to 

 end of the Orange, so that each is about half an 

 inch wide in the middle and two inches long; 

 holes are pricked in it, and the shaft of the Clove 

 pressed in so that the heads nearly touch each 

 other. The pieces are then packed into a jar 



