1883.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



223 



SWEET HERBS, 



A well-regulated garden cannot be con- 

 sidered complete unless it contains a selec- 

 tion of some of the principal varieties of 

 sweet, aromatic herbs for seasoning soups 

 and other dishes. Some of them are really 

 indispensable ; and almost all herbs are 

 serviceable in various culinary operations. 

 In most gardens the herbs are found to oc- 

 cupy some out-of-the-way situation, smoth- 

 ered with weeds and grass, and it is very 

 fortunate if a variety or so can be found 

 when wanted for use. 



SWEET MARJORAM. 



Although herbs in general can be grown 

 in almost any soil or exposure, they should 

 not be placed under trees or in shaded situa- 

 tions. They love a moderately enriched, 

 deep soil. Along the sunny side of the gar- 

 den fence is as good a situation as any. A 

 little patch of a few plants of the principal 

 kinds, will furnish an abundance of fresh 

 herbs for an ordinary sized family, as well 

 as a supply for use in a dry state. To 

 secure them in the greatest perfection for 

 the latter purpose, they should be cut on a 

 dry day, just before they commence to 

 bloom, tied into small bunches and hung up 

 in the shade to dry. When dry, rub as fine 

 as practicable, and pack in jars or bottles, 

 corked as tightly as possible, to exclude 

 the air. 



SUMMER SAVORY. 



In treating of their proper cultivation, it 

 will be found convenient to divide them in 

 two classes, Annuals and Perennials. 



The annual varieties come to perfection 

 the first season, and then die. These should 

 be sown in a cold frame, about the middle 

 of April, gradually hardened off, and planted 

 out when all danger of frost is over, or as 

 soon as they are strong enough to be hand- 

 led. The seeds may also be sown where 



the plants are to stand ; but in this case 

 they must be severely thinned, or else they 

 will be rendered comparatively worthless. 

 As a general rule, the plants should not 

 stand closer than a foot apart each way. 

 The principal cultivated annual herbs are 

 the following : 



Sweet- Marjoram is one of the most fre- 

 quently used herbs for flavoring soups and 

 meat dishes. It does not bear transplanting 

 as well as most others, and shoidd therefore 

 be sown in rows where it is to remain, and 

 afterward be thinned out. 



Summer Savory, extensively used for various 

 culinary purposes, especially by the French 

 and Germans, with whom String Beans with- 

 out Savory — called Bean-herb in German — 

 would be considered an impossibility. The 

 seed should be covered but lightly ; it may 

 be sown either outdoors, or started in a hot- 

 bed and transplanted afterward. 



Sweet Basil, used in soups and salads, re- 

 quires a good deal of heat, and should be 

 started early in pots in the house, and trans- 

 planted outdoors when large enough. 



Dill is closely related to Fennel. It should 

 be sown in the open ground in May and 

 June, in rows two feet apart, and thinned 

 out to six inches. It is used principally for 

 flavoring pickles. 



Coriander, the seeds of which are the part 

 used for flavoring soups, salads, and pickles, 

 I also confectionery, should be sown where 

 the plauts are to stand. They are large, 

 and have to be covered about an inch. A 

 light, rather sandy soil suits it best. 



Anise, Burnet, Bene, Pennyroyal, all used 

 more or less for medical purposes, belong to 

 this class, and are of as easy culture as those 

 named. 



The perennial varieties remain in perfec- 

 tion, or in a condition suitable for use, for 

 two or more seasons. They succeed best if 

 the seeds can be sown early in the season, 

 and the young plants forwarded as much as 

 possible before it is time to transfer them 

 to the open air. They are much benefited 

 by being protected during the winter season 

 with a covering of the branches of evergreen 

 trees, and every spring a dressing of well 

 rotted manure given and forked in. It is 

 also advisable to renew them occasionally, 

 either by seed or by division of the older 

 plants. Among the principal kinds are 



Sage, probably the oldest and most exten- 

 sively cultivated herb, the many uses of 

 which are familiar to every housekeeper. 

 It is propagated by cuttings or from seed. 

 It likes a light, dry, but very rich soil. 

 Sow outdoors in some sheltered spot, as 

 soon as the ground is in proper condition, 

 and transplant in rows two feet apart and 

 one foot in the rows. 



Thyme, well known as a culinary as well as 

 a medicinal herb, requires treatment similar 

 to Sage ; but as the seed is very fine, it must 

 be sown in carefully prepared seed beds of 

 fine soil, covered very lightly and well 

 firmed. 



Lavender is much valued for its^perfume, 

 the dried flowers and stems being placed be- 

 tween sheets and table linen. It may be 

 propagated by division of the roots, but it is 

 generally raised from seed sown early in the 

 house or hot-bed, transplanting the young 

 plants afterward. The plant, when in flower, 

 is quite ornamental, and well adapted for 

 flower-beds. It is only half-hardy, and has 

 to be covered in winter. 



Rosemary, Balni,('alnij>, Wormwood, Hyssop, 

 and many other popular medicinal herbs, 

 still to be found in many old gardens, belong 

 to this class. 



Chas. E. Parnell. 



GROCERY SEEDS, 



Dr. Sturtevant's experiments with seeds 

 obtained from a great many sources lead 

 him to remark, that his experience with 

 " grocery seeds," that is, the packages from 

 boxes distributed to be sold on commission, 



SAGE. 



has been so extremely unsatisfactory that he 

 is fain to believe that it is only the ignorance 

 of the purchaser that retains this abominable 

 system of sale. The purchaser who knows 

 the importance of good seeds avoids these 

 commission seeds and sends for his annual 

 supply directly to the seedman, a course 

 which is rendered easy through the admi- 

 rable facilities furnished by our post-office 

 department and the various express com- 

 panies whose lines ramify so extensively 

 throughout our country. It is safe to say 

 that the farmer or gardener who, from care- 

 lessness, lack of forethought, or a false 

 economy, purchases his supply from these 



LAVENDER. 



commission packages, in the end loses dollars 

 where he saves cents ; secures temporary 

 convenience at the expense of future tribu- 

 lation. It is difficult for the average grower 

 of crops to realize what experience invari- 

 ably teaches, that cheap seed means cheap 

 yield ; that quality in seeds costs the grower 

 and costs the dealer and must be paid for in 

 the end by the purchaser. 



