150 THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY HERB DOCTOR. 
and damp-proof. Great care must be taken to keep the 
plants dry, as dampness will spoil them. | 
Pressing Herbs, &ce.—Gather them, as above in fine 
weather, and when dry, if you want to keep them a long 
time get a strong-made box, eight by four inches in the clear 
and sixinches deep. Fillit withthe herbs laid flat ; put on top 
of this a wooden block which will just fit into the box; press. 
and keep on the top a heavy weight or screw; let it remain thus 
all night, and you will have an oblong block, (8 x 4 x 4 in.), 
which wrap in thick brown paper, and it will keep good for a 
long time. The proper time for collecting herbs or leaves is 
when the flowers come out. If the leaves alone are wanted, 
pick them off with the footstalks, if they have any. Spread 
them in the sun, if sunlight does not take the colour out of 
them, (as it does to some very delicate plants) ; but if so, spread 
them upon paper on the floor, or on shelves, till they are dry ; 
then put them in air-tight tins, boxes, or bags, labelled, and 
put in a dry place. 
Roots ought to be dug up early in spring, before the sap 
has ascended into the tops. Clean, and brush the earth off 
them ; if large, slice and run a string through them, making 
a knot between each to keep them apart. Let the string 
or twine needle be sufficiently strong to hold about a 
yard length of roots. These may be either hung at both ends 
or at one. When thoroughly dry, which may be determined 
by breaking the xoot, put them away, like the herbs, labelled, 
for future use. 
Yarrow growing in beds must be thinned out every 
spring, or it will die out in time. Flowers ought 
to be gathered in full bloom, spread on cloths on @ 
dry floor. They should be turned every day till dry, 
then put away as the others. Seeds must not be gathered till 
ripe, then dried and separated from the husks, spread on 
paper till bone dry; keep from the air in a dry place; look 
at them occasionally, as they are apt to draw the damp, get 
mouldy, and spoil. The one thing needful is care to get and 
keep good the herbs. We feel certain that if the above 
