SWEET HERBS. 
507 
shapen in the course of three or four years. 
To keep up a stock, therefore, a few slips 
should be put in every May or June, under 
a shady wall, in ground prepared by mixing a 
little sand with it if at all stiff. The slips 
should be taken from the side shoots of the old 
plants, and inserted pretty deeply in the soil, 
taking off the lower leaves for that purpose. 
Keep them moderately moist until rooted, and 
they may be transplanted to their permanent 
border either in autumn or spring. If it be 
desirable to dry any of the leaves for winter 
use, the same plan should be followed as with 
mint. 
The Clary (Salvia Sclarea) is a native of 
the same countries as the last, and reached this 
country about 1562. Like the last it is a 
medicinal plant, but is now seldom used in a 
culinary way. Being a biennial, it is best to 
raise it every year from seed, although it may 
be propagated by slips or cuttings. Sow the 
seed in light well prepared ground in April, 
in shallow drills, scattering it thinly, and if 
the drills are eighteen inches apart, thin the 
plants out to ten or twelve inches apart, 
and keep them clear of weeds. The leaves 
will be fit for use the same autumn, and 
until the plants flower in the following year. 
The Winter Savory, (Satureja montana,) 
like nearly all our sweet herbs, is a native of 
the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and was 
introduced here about 1562. It is a small 
shrub, rising about a foot high, furnished 
thickly with stiff narrow leaves, and white 
flowers, which appear in June. The cultiva- 
tion and management of winter savory is 
identical with that of sage. 
The Summer Savorv (Satureja hortensii) 
is an annual plant, from the same countries as 
the last, and introduced here about the same 
time. It grows about a foot high, and flowers 
in June. Sow the seed in shallow drills in 
April, so that the plants when thinned may 
stand about six or eight inches apart. Keep 
them clear of weeds, and they will soon be fit 
For use. If any is wanted for drying, cut or 
pull up the plants ere they advance too far in 
bloom. 
The Thymt {Thymus vulgaris) is a native 
of the South of Europe, and was probably in- 
troduced to this country long before the begin- 
ning of the sixteenth century. It forms an 
evergreen shrub about a foot high, producing 
(lowers about the middle of summer. There 
are three varieties, the narrow-leaved, the 
broad-leaved, and the variegated. The second 
is the best for the kitchen garden. 
The Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus) 
is a low trailing shrub, of which the native 
country appears to be unknown. It has been 
supposed to be only a variety of the common 
wild thyme, with which it a little agrees in 
habit, but is readily distinguished by its much 
paler colour, and very different scent, which, 
as its trivial name imports, is that of lemons. 
Both the species of thyme prefer a warm, 
moderately dry border, and are propagated by 
parting the roots, or by slips. Their further 
culture approximates to that of sage. 
Several species of Marjoram are in cul- 
tivation — three species for kitchen use, and 
many for ornamental purposes. The common 
Marjoram (Origanum vntgare) is very abun- 
dant in many parts of the kingdom, especially 
on chalky soils, but is seldom used now in a 
culinary way. If wantedfor medicinal purposes, 
it may be collected in any quantities on the 
borders of woods and thickets, wherever the 
chalk appears. It flowers in July. 
The Pot Marjoram ( Origanum onites) is 
a native of Sicily, and was introduced to this 
country in 1759. It forms a small hardy 
shrub, growing about a foot high, with small 
acute leaves, and flowers in July. It requires 
to be propagated by slips, like the thyme, as 
it seldom ripens seed in this country. 
The Perennial, or Winter Sweet Mar- 
joram, ( Origanum lieracleoticum.) is a native 
of Greece, and was introduced in 1640. It is 
similar in growth to the last, flowering in June, 
and likes a sheltered situation. Its propaga- 
tion is also similar to the last. 
The Sweet or Knotted Marjoram (Ori- 
ganum marjorana) is a native of Spain and 
Portugal, and appears to have reached Eng- 
land in 1640. It is of a whitish colour, being 
thickly covered with soft short down, and pro- 
duces its flowers in terminal spikes, each 
spikelet being contracted into a globular head, 
whence its second trivial name. The flowers 
appear in June or July, according to the 
period of sowing the seed, and it should be 
then cut for drying for winter use. Being a 
rather tender biennial, it requires to be raised 
from seed every year, and its treatment is the 
same as that of the summer savory. 
The Sweet Basil (Orymum basilicwm) 
is a native of the East Indies, and was intro- 
duced to this country about 1548. It is an 
annual growing about one foot high, of up- 
right growth, with oval leaves of a pale-green 
colour, and producing white flowers in June 
or July. It is preferable to the next for the 
kitchen. 
The Bush or Small Basil (Orymum 
minimum) is from the same country as the 
last, and was introduced in 1573. It is also 
of similar appearance, but more branching, 
and only about half the size in all its parts, 
although the flowers are so numerous as almost 
to hide the diminutive leaves. Its uses are I 
identical with those of the last, although from 
its smaller size it is not so well worth growing. 
The sorts of basil should be raised from. Seeds 
