 Section 15 of Culinary Herbs, Their Cultivation, Harvesting, Curing, and Uses. Caroway Caroway, Carum Carui, a biennial or an annual herb of the natural order Umbelifere. Its names, both popular and botanical, are supposed to be derived from Caria, an Asia minor, where the plant is believed first to have attracted attention. From very early ages, the caraway has been esteemed by cooks and doctors, between which a friendly rivalry might seem to exist, each vying to give it prominence. At the present time, the cook seems to be in the ascendancy. The seeds or their oil are rarely used in modern medicine, except to disguise the flavor of repulsive drugs. Since caraway seeds were found by O'Hear in the debris of the lake habitations of Switzerland, the fact seems well established that the plant is a native of Europe, and the probability is increased that the curium of Pliny is the same plant, as its use by apocas would also indicate. It is mentioned in the 12th century writings as grown in Morocco, and in the 13th by the Arabs. As a spice, its use in England seems to have begun at the close of the 14th century. From its Asiatic home, it first spread with Phoenician commerce to Western Europe. Went by later voyagers, it has been carried throughout the civilized world. So widely has it been distributed that the traveler may find it in the wilds of Iceland and Scandinavia, the slopes of sunny Spain, the steeps of the Himalayas, the belt of southern Africa, the bush of Australia, the prairies and the pompous of America. Caraway is largely cultivated in Morocco, and is an important article of export from Russia, Prussia and Holland. It has developed no clearly marked varieties. Some specimens, however, seem to be more distinctly annual than others. Though attempts to isolate these, and thus secure a quick maturing variety, seem not to have been made. Description The fleshy root, about one half inch in diameter, is yellowish externally, whitish within, and has a slight carotid taste. From it, a rosette of finely penaded leaves is developed, and later, the sparsely-leaved, channelled, hollow, branching flower stem, which rises from 18 to 30 inches, and during early summer bears umbels of little white flowers followed by oblong-pointed, somewhat curved, light-brown aromatic fruits, the caraway seeds of commerce. These retain the germinating power for about three years, require about 10,000 seeds to make an ounce, and 15 ounces to the court. Cultivation Frequently, if not usually, caraway is sewn together with coriander and the same drills on heavy lands during May or early June. The coriander, being a quick maturing plant, may be harvested before the caraway throws up a flowering stem. Thus, two crops may be secured from the same land in the same time occupied by the caraway alone. Ordinary thinning to six or eight inches between plants is done when the seedlings are established. Other requirements of the crop are all embraced in the practices of clean cultivation. Harvest occurs in July of the year following the seeding. The plants are cut about 12 inches above ground with sickles, spread on sheets to dry for a few days, and later beaten with a light flail. After threshing, the seed must be spread thinly and turned daily until the last vestige of moisture has evaporated. From 400 to 800 pounds is a usual range of yield. If seed be sown as soon as ripe, plants may be secured, which mature earlier than the main crop. Thus, six or eight weeks may be saved in the growing season. And by continuing such selection, a quick maturing strain may be secured with little effort. This would also obviate the trouble of keeping seed from one year to the next, where the strain would be practically a winter annual. Uses. Occasionally, the leaves and young shoots are eaten, either cooked or as an ingredient in salads. The roots, too, have been esteemed in some countries even more highly than the parsnip, which, however, largely because of its size, has supplanted it for this purpose. But the seeds are the important part. They find popular use in bread, cheese, liquors, salads, sauces, soups, candy, and especially in seed cakes, cookies, and comfis. The colorless or pale yellow essential oil, distilled with water from the seeds, which contains between 5% and 7.5% of it, has a characteristic flavor and odor of the fruit. It is extensively employed in the manufacture of toilet articles, such as perfumery and especially soaps. End of section 15, recorded by Mel Otto. Section 16 of Culinary Herbs, their cultivation, harvesting, curing, and uses. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Culinary Herbs, their cultivation, harvesting, curing, and uses. By Maurice Grenville Keynes. Catnip, or Catmint. Nepetocateria lin. A perennial herb of the natural order Labitie. The popular name is an illusion to the attraction the plant has for cats. They not only eat it, but rub themselves upon it, purring with delight. The generic name is derived from the Atruian city, Neptic, in the neighborhood of which various species of the genus formally became prominent. Like several of its relatives, catnip is a well known weed. It has become naturalized in America and is most frequently observed in dry, waste places, especially in the east. Though, it is also often found in gardens and around dwellings throughout the United States and Canada. Description. It's erect square branching stems from 18 to 36 inches tall, bare notched oval or heart shaped leaves, whitish below, and during late summer, terminal clusters of white flowers in small heads, far apart below, but crowded close above. The fruits are small, brown, alvoid, smooth, and with three clearly defined angles. An ounce contains about 3,400 seeds. Viability lasts for five years. Cultivation. Catnip will grow with the most ordinary attention on any fairly dry soil. The seed need only be sown in autumn or spring, where the plants are to remain or in a nursery bed for subsequent transplanting. If to be kept in a garden bed, they should stand 18 to 24 inches apart each way. Nothing is needful except to keep down weeds in order to have them succeed for several years on the same spot. Uses. The most important use of the plant is as a bea forage. For this purpose, waste places are often planted to catnip. As a condiment, the leaves were formerly in popular use, especially in the form of sauces, but milder flavors are now more highly esteemed. Still, the French use catnip to a considerable extent. Like many of its relatives, catnip was a popular medicinal remedy for many fleshy ills. Now, it is practically relegated to domestic medicine. Even in this, it is a more abundant remedy for infant flatulence, and is clung to only by unlettered nurses of a passing generation. End of Section 16. Section 17 of Culinary Herbs. Their Cultivation Harvesting, Curing, and Uses. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Nan Dodge. Culinary Herbs. Their Cultivation Harvesting, Curing, and Uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes. Chervil. Scandic Serifolium. Lynn. A Southern European annual with stems about 18 inches tall and bearing few divided leaves composed of oval, much-cut leaflets. The small white flowers born in umbels are followed by long-pointed black seeds with a conspicuous furrow from end to end. These seeds which retain their German ability about three years, but are rather difficult to keep, may be sown where the plants are to stay at any season about eight weeks before a crop is desired. Cultivation is like that of parsley. During summer and in warm climates, cool shady situations should be chosen, otherwise any situation and soil are suitable. The leaves which are highly aromatic are used, especially in France and England, for seasoning and for mixed salads. Chervil is rarely used alone, but is the chief ingredient in what the French call fiend's herb. A mixture which finds its way into a host of culinary concoctions. The best variety is the curled, which, although it has the same flavor as the plain, is a prettier garnish. End of section 17. Section 18 of Culinary Herbs Their Cultivation Harvesting, Curing and Uses. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Culinary Herbs Their Cultivation Harvesting, Curing and Uses by Maurice Grenville Canes. Chives. Allium Shonoprasum. Linn. A bulbous onion-like perennial belonging to the Liliasae. Naturally the plants form thick tufts of abundant, hollow grass-like leaves from their little oval bulbs and mat of fibrous roots. The short flower stems bear terminal clusters of generally sterile flowers. Hence the plants are propagated by planting the individual bulbs or by division of clumps in early spring. Frequently chives are planted in flower borders as an edging for which purpose the compact growth and dainty flowers particularly recommend them. They should not be allowed to grow in the same place for more than three years. Strictly speaking chives do not belong with the herbs, but their leaves are so frequently used instead of onions for flavoring salads, stews and other dishes. And reference has been so often made to them in these pages that a brief description has been included. For market the clumps are cut in squares and the whole plant sold. Treated in this way the green grocers can keep them in good condition by watering until sold. For use the leaves are cut with shears close to the ground. If allowed to stand in the garden cuttings may be made at intervals of two or three weeks all through the season. Formation or to volunteer please visit LibraVox.org recorded by Mel Ato. Culinary Herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes. Section 19. Clary. Clary. Salvia Sclorea. A perennial herb with a natural-order labiate. The popular name is a corruption of the specific. In the discussion on sage will be found the significance of the generic name. Syria is said to be the original home of Clary, but Italy is also mentioned. The presumption is in favor of the former country as it is the elder and the plant was probably carried westward from it by soldiers or merchants. In England Clary was known prior to 1538 when Turner published his garden lore, but in America except in foreigners gardens it is rarely seen. It has been listed in seedsman's catalogs since 1806. Description. The large very broad oblong obtuse toothed woolly-haired radical leaves are grayish-green and somewhat ruffled like those of Savoy cabbage. From among them rise the two-foot tall square branching sparsely leaf stems which during the second year bear small clusters of lilac or white showy flowers and long spikes. The smooth brown or marbled shining seeds retain their germinating power for three years. Cultivation. The plants thrive in any well-drained soil. Seed may be sown during March and drills 18 inches apart where the plants are to remain or in a seed bed for transplanting 18 inches asunder in May. Clean cultivation is needed throughout the summer until the plants have full possession of the ground. In August the leaves may be gathered and if this harvest be judiciously done the product of foliage should continue until mid-summer of the second year when the plants will probably insist upon flowering. After this it is best to rely upon new plants for supplies of leaves the old plants being pulled. Uses. In America the leaves are little used in cookery and even in Europe they seem to be less popular than formerly sage having taken their place. Wine is sometimes made from a plant when in flower. As an ornamental clary is worth a place in the hearty flower border. End of section 19. Section number 20 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recorded by Mel Ato. Culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Green Volcans. Section number 20. Coriander. Illustration. Coriander for old fashioned candies. Coriander. Coriander of sativa. A plant of little beauty and the easiest culture is a hearty annual herb of the natural order of beliferae. The popular name is derived from the generic which comes from the ancient Greek chorus a kind of bug in allusion to the disagreeable order of the foliage and other green parts. The specific name refers to its cultivation in gardens. Hence the scientific name declares it to be the cultivated buggy smelling plant. Coriander has been cultivated from such ancient times that its land of nativity is unknown. Though it is said to be a native of southern Europe and of China. It has been used in Cougarine of course to in medicine for according to ancient reasoning anything was so pronounced and unpleasant and odor must necessarily possess powerful curative or preventative attributes. Its seeds have been found in Egyptian tunes of the 21st Dynasty. Many centuries later, Pliny wrote that the best quality of seeds still came to Italy from Egypt. Prior to the Norman conquest in 1066, the plant was well known in Great Britain, probably having been taken there by the early Roman conquerors. Before 1670, it was introduced into Massachusetts. During this long period of cultivation, there seems to be no record or even indication of varieties. In many temperate and tropical countries, it has become a frequent weed in cultivated fields. Description. From a cluster of slightly divided radical leaves, branching stems rise to heights of two to two and a half feet. Toward their summits, they bear much divided leaves with linear segments and umbels of white, whitish flowers, followed by pairs of united, hemispherical, brownish, yellow, deeply furrowed seeds about the size of a sweet pea seed. These retain the vitality for five or six years. The seeds do not have the unpleasant odor of the plants, but have a rather agreeable smell and a moderately warm, pungent taste. Cultivation. Coriander, a plant of the easiest culture, does best in a rather light, warm, freeable soil. In Europe, it is often sown with caraway, which, being a biennial and producing only a rosette of leaves at the surface of the ground the first year, is not injured when the annual coriander is cut. The seed is often sown in the autumn, though spring sowing is perhaps in more favor. The rows are made about 15 inches apart. The seeds drop one inch of sunder and a half inch deep, and the plantlets thin to six or eight inches. Since the plants run to seed quickly, they must be watched and cut early to prevent loss and consequence seeding of the ground. After curing in the shade, the seed is threshed, as already described, see page 28. On favorable land, the yield may reach or even exceed 1,500 pounds to the acre. Uses. Some writers say the young leaves of the plant are used in salads and for seasoning soups, dressings, etc. If this is so, I can only remark that there is no accounting for tastes. I am inclined to think, however, that these writers are drawing upon their imagination or have been stuffed by people who take pleasure in supplying misinformation. The odor is such as to suggest the flavor of buggy raspberries we sometimes gather in the fence rows. Any person who relishes buggy berries may perhaps enjoy coriander, salad or soup. Only the seed is of commercial importance. It is used largely in making comb feets and other kinds of confectionary for adding to bread and especially in the east as an ingredient and curry powder and other condiments. In medicine, its chief use now is to disguise the taste of disagreeable drugs. Distellers use it for flavoring various kinds of liquors. End of section 20 section 21 of culinary herbs, their cultivation, harvesting, curing and uses. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Culinary herbs, their cultivation, harvesting, curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Canes. Cumin. Cumin. Cuminum siminium. Lin. A low growing annual herb of the Nile Valley, but cultivated in the Mediterranean region, Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, India, China and Palestine from very early times. See Isaiah 1825 through 27 and Matthew 2323. Pliny is said to have considered it the best appetizer of all condiments. During the Middle Ages it was in very common use. All the old herbals of the 16th and the 17th centuries, figure and describe and extol it. In Europe it is extensively cultivated in Malta and Sicily, and will mature seed as far north as Norway. In America today the seed is catalogued by some seeds men, but very little is grown. Description. The plant is very diminutive, rarely exceeding a height of six inches. Its stems, which branch freely from the base, bear mere linear leaves and small lilac flowers in little umbels of 10 to 20 blossoms each. The six ribbed elongated seeds in appearance resemble caraway seeds, but are straighter, lighter and larger, and in formation are like the double seeds of coriander, convex on one side and concave on the other. They bear long hairs which fold up when the seed is dry. After the seed has been kept for two years it begins to lose its germinating power, but will sprout reasonably well when three years old. It is characterized by a peculiar strong aromatic odor and a hot taste. Culture. As soon as the ground has become warm the seed is sewn in drills about 15 inches apart where the plants are to remain, except for keeping down the weeds no further attention is necessary. The plants mature in about two months when the stems are cut and dried in the shade. C page 28. The seeds are used in India as an ingredient in curry powder in France for flavoring pickles, pastry and soups. End of Section 21. Section 22 of culinary herbs. Their cultivation, harvesting, curing and uses. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by John Brandon. Culinary herbs, their cultivation, harvesting, curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes. Dill. Anathema Raviolans Lynn. A hardy annual native of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, smaller than common fennel, which it somewhat resembles both in appearance and in the flavor of the green parts, which are however less agreeable. In ancient times it was grown in Palestine. The word translated Anis in Matthew 23. 23 is said to have been dill in the original Greek. It was well known in Pliny's time and is often discussed by writers in the Middle Ages. According to American writings, it has been grown in this country for more than 100 years and has become spontaneous in many places. Description. Ordinarily, the plants grow two to two and a half feet tall. The glaucous, smooth, hollow branching stems bear very thread-like leaves and in mid-summer compound umbels with numerous yellow flowers whose small petals are rolled inward. Very flat, pungent, bitter seeds are freely produced and unless gathered early, are sure to stock the garden with volunteer seedlings for the following year. Under fair storage conditions, the seeds continue viable for three years. They are rather light. A quart of them weighs about 11 ounces and an ounce is said to contain over 25,000 seeds. Cultivation. Where dill has not already been grown, seed may be sown in early spring preferably in a warm sandy soil where the plants are to remain. Any well-drained soil will do. The drills should be one foot apart. The seeds scattered thinly and covered very shallow. A bed 12 feet square should supply abundance of seed for any ordinary family. To sow this area, one quarter to one half ounce of seed is ample. For field use, the rows may be 15 inches apart and the seed sown more thinly. It should not be covered much more than one fourth inch. Some growers favor fall sowing because they claim the seed is more likely to germinate than in the spring and also to produce better plants than spring sown seed. At all times, the plants must be kept free from weeds and the soil loose and open. When three or four weeks old, the seedlings are thinned to nine inches or even a foot apart. As soon as the seed is ripe, shortly after mid-summer, it must be gathered with the least possible shaking and handling so as to prevent loss. It is well to place the stems as cut directly in a tight-bottomed cart or a wheelbarrow with a canvas receptacle for the purpose and to haul direct to the shade where drying is to occur. The good place for this is a barn, upon the floor of which a large canvas sheet is spread and where a free circulation of air can be secured. Uses. The French use dill for flavoring preserves, cakes, and pastry. For these purposes, it is too strong and pronounced a character to be relished by American palates. The seeds perhaps more often appear in soups, sauces, and stews, but even here they are relished more by our European residents than by Native Americans. Probably they are most used in pickles especially in preserving cucumbers, according to German recipes. Thousands of barrels of such pickles are sold annually, more especially in the larger cities and to the poorer people. But as this pickle is procurable at all delicatessen stores, it has gained great popularity among even the well-to-do. An oil is distilled from the seeds and used in perfuming soap. The young leaves are said to be used in pickles, soups, and sauces, and even in salads. For the last purpose they are rather strong to suit most people and for the others the seeds are far more popular. Dill vinegar is a popular household condiment. It is made by soaking the seed in good vinegar for a few days before using. The quantity of ingredients to use is immaterial. Only a certain amount of the flavor can be dissolved by the vinegar and as few samples of vinegar are alike, the quantities both to mix and of the decoption to use must be left to the housewife. This may be said however that after one lot of seed has been treated the vinegar may be poured off and the seeds steeped a second time to get a weaker infusion. The two infusions may then be mixed and kept in a dark cupboard for use as needed. End of section 22, recording by John Brandon. Section 23 of Culinary Herbs. Their cultivation, harvesting, curing, and uses. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org, recording by John Brandon. Culinary Herbs. Their cultivation, harvesting, curing, and uses. By Maurice Grenville Keynes. Fennel. Finiculum Oficionale. Al. A biennial or perennial herb generally considered a native of southern Europe though common on all Mediterranean shores. The old Latin name Finiculum is derived from phenom or hay. It was spread with civilization especially where Italians have colonized and maybe found growing wild in many parts of the world upon dry soils near the seacoast and upon river banks. It seems to be partial to limestone soils such as the chalky lands of England and the Shelley formation of Bermuda. In this latter community I've seen it thriving upon cliffs where there seemed to be only a pinch of soil and where the rock was so dry and porous that it would crumble to coarse dust when crushed in the hand. The plant was cultivated by the ancient Romans for its aromatic fruits and succulent edible shoots. Whether cultivated in northern Europe at that time is not certain but it is frequently mentioned in Anglo-Saxon cookery prior to the Norman conquest. Charlemagne ordered its culture upon the imperial farms. At present it is most popular in Italy and France. In America it is in most demand among French and Italians. Like many other plants, fennel has had a highly interesting career from a medical point of view but it no longer plays even a small part in the drama. Description common garden or long sweet fennel is distinguished from its wild or better relative f vulgari by having much stouter taller five to six feet tubular and longer stems. Less divided more glaucus leaves but a still more striking difference is seen in the leaf stalks which form a curved sheath around the stem even as far up as the base of the leaf above. Then too the green flowers are born on more sturdy pedestals in the broader umbells. Lastly the seeds are double the size of the wild fennel seeds one fourth or one half inch long. They are convex on one side flat on the other and are marked by five yellowish ribs. Though a French writer says the seed degenerates promptly and recommends the use of fresh seed annually it will not be wise to throw away anywhere it is not wanted to germinate unless it is over four years old as seed as old even as that is said to be satisfactory for planting. Cultivation in usual garden practice fennel is propagated by seeds and is grown as an annual instead of as a biennial or a perennial. The plants will flourish in almost any well-drained soil but seem to prefer light loams of a limey nature. It is not particular as to exposure the seed may be sown in nursery beds or where the plants are to remain in the beds the drills may be six inches apart and not more than one to three inch deep or the seed may be scattered broadcast an ounce will be enough for a bed of 10 feet square. When the plants are about three inches tall they should be transplanted 15 or 18 inches of sunder in rows two to two and a half feet apart. Some growers sow in late summer and in autumn so as to have early crops the following season. They also make several sucessional sowings at intervals of one or two weeks in order to supply the demands of their customers for fresh fennel stalks from mid-summer to December or even later. The plants will grow more or less in very cold that is not actually freezing weather. If sown in place the rows should be the suggested two to two and a half feet apart and the plants thin several times until a required distance is reached. Thinnings may be used for culinary purposes for family use half an ounce of seed if fairly fresh will produce an ample supply of plants and for several years either from the established roots or by reseeding. Unless seed is needed for household or sowing purposes the flower stems should be cut as soon as they appear. Uses fennel is considered indispensable in French and Italian cookery. The young plants and the tender leaves are often used for garnishes and to add flavor to salads. They are also minced and added to sauces usually served with puddings. The tender stems and the leaves are employed in soups and fish sauces though more frequently they are eaten raw as a salad with or without dressing. The famous carousel of Naples consists of the stems cut when the plant is about to bloom. These stems are considered a great delicacy served raw with the leaf stalks still around them. Oil, vinegar and pepper are eaten with them. By sowing at intervals of a week or 10 days Italian gardeners manage to have a supply almost all the year. The seeds are used in cookery, confectionery and for flavoring liquors. Oil of fennel, a pale yellow liquid with a Swedish aromatic odor and flavor is distilled with water. It is used in perfumery and for senting soaps. A pound of oil is the usual yield of five hundred pounds of the plant. End of section 23. Recording by John Brandon. Section 24 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes. Fennocchio or Florence Fennel F. Dolce DC to serve special mention here. It appears to be a native of Italy a distinct dwarf annual very thick set herb. The stem joints are so close together and their bases so swelled as to suggest malformation. Even when full grown and producing seed the plant rarely exceeds two feet. The large finely cut light green leaves are born on very broad pale green or almost whitish stalks which overlap at their bases somewhat like celery but much more swelled at edible maturity to form a sort of head or a regular ball the apple as it is called sometimes as large as a man's fist. The seeds are a peculiar oblong much broader than long convex on one side and flat on the other with five conspicuous ribs. Cultivation is much the same as for common fennel though owing to the dwarf nature of the plant the rows and the plants may be closer together the seedlings should be five or six inches asunder they are very thirsty things and require water frequently when the apple attains the size of an egg earth may be drawn up slightly to the base which may be about half covered cutting may begin about 10 days later. Florence Fennel is generally boiled and served with either a butter or a cream dressing it suggests celery and flavor but is sweeter and even more pleasingly fragrant in Italy it is one of the commonest and most popular of vegetables in other european countries it is also well known but in america its cultivation is almost confined to italian gardens or to such as supply italian demands in the large cities in new york it is commonly sold by greengrocers and push cart men in the italian sections end of section 24 section 25 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Granville Keynes fennel flower nigella sativa lin an asianic annual belonging to the ranon culasse grown to a limited extent in southern europe but scarcely known in america among the romans it was esteemed in kukuri hence one of its common names roman coriander the plant has a rather stiff erect branching stem bears deeply cut grayish green leaves and terminal grayish blue flowers which precede odd toothed seed vessels filled with small triangular black highly aromatic seeds for garden use the seed is sown in spring after the ground gets warm the drills may be 15 to 18 inches apart and the plants thinned to 10 or 12 inches asunder no special attention is necessary until mid summer when the seed ripens these are easily threshed and cleaned after drying they should be stored in sacks in a cool dry place they are used just as they are or like dill in kukuri end of section 25 section 26 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by morise grenville Keynes whorehound marubium vulgari lin a perennial plant of the natural order labayate formerly widely esteemed in kukuri and medicine but now almost out of use except for making candy which some people still eat in the belief that it relieves tickling in the throat due to coughing in many parts of the world whorehound has become naturalized on dry poor soils and is even a troublesome weed in such situations bees are very partial to whorehound nectar and make a pleasing honey from the flowers where these are abundant this honey has been almost as popular as whorehound candy and formerly was obtainable at drugists except in isolated sections it has ceased to be sold in the drugstores the generic name marubium is derived from a Hebrew word meaning bitter the flavor is so strong and lasting that the modern palette wonders how the ancient mouth could stand such a thing in kukuri the numerous branching erect stems and the almost square toothed grayish green leaves are covered with a down from which the common name whorehound is derived the white flowers born in axillary clusters forming whorls and spikes are followed by small brown oblong seeds pointed at one end these may be sown up to the third year after ripening with the expectation that they will grow spring is the usual time for sowing a dry poor soil preferably exposed to the south should be chosen the plants may stand 12 to 15 inches apart after once becoming established no further attention need be given except to prevent seed forming thus giving the plant less chance to become a nuisance often the clumps may be divided or layers or cuttings may be used per propagation no protection need be given as the plants are hardy an old author gives the following recipe for whorehound candy to one pint of a strong decoction of the leaves and stems or the roots add eight or ten pounds of sugar boil to candy height and pour into molds or small paper cases previously well dusted with finely powdered lump sugar or pour on dusted marble slabs and cut in squares end of section 26 section 27 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Larry Wilson culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes Hyssop, Hyssopus aeficianalis lineus a perennial evergreen undershrub of the libiti native of the Mediterranean region though well known in ancient times this plant is probably not the one known as Hyssop in biblical writings according to the standard dictionary the biblical Hyssop is an unidentified plant thought by some to have been a species of majorum oreganum maru by others the caper bush caparis and by the author of the history of the bible plants to have been the name of any common article in the form of a brush or a broom in ancient and medieval times Hyssop was grown for its fancied medicinal qualities for ornament and for cookery except for ornament it is now very little cultivated occasionally it is found growing wild in other than Mediterranean countries description the smooth simple stems which grow about two feet tall bareland cereal late linear entire leaves and small clusters of usually blue though sometimes pink or white flowers crowded in terminal spikes the small brown glistening three angled seeds which have a little white hilum near their apices retain their viability three years leaves stems and flowers possess a highly aromatic odor and a hot bitter flavor cultivation Hyssop succeeds best in rather warm limey soil it may be readily propagated by division cuttings and seed in cold climates the last way is the most common seed is sown in early spring either in a cold frame or in the open ground and the seedlings transplanted in early summer even where the plants survive the winters it is advisable to renew them every three or four years when grown in too rich soil the growth will be very lush and will lack aroma plants should stand not closer than six inches in the rows which should be at least 18 inches apart they do best in partial shade uses Hyssop has almost entirely disappeared from culinary practice because it is too strong flavored its tender leaves and shoots are however occasionally added to salads to supply a bitter taste the colorless oil distilled from the leaves has a peculiar odor and an acrid chamferescent taste upon contact with the air it turns yellow and changes to a resin from 400 to 500 pounds of the fresh plant yield a pound of oil the oil is used to some extent in the preparation of toilet articles end of section 27 section 28 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes Lavender Lavendula Vera DC L Angustifolia Mench L Spica Lin a half-hearty perennial undershrub native of dry calcareous uplands in southern Europe its name is derived from the Latin word lavo to wash the distillation of the flowers being anciently used in perfuming water for washing the body the plant forms a compact clump two to two and a half feet tall has numerous erect stems bearing small linear gray leaves above which the slender square flower stems arise the small violet blue flowers are arranged in a short terminal spike and are followed by little brown oblong shiny seeds with white dots at the ends attached to the plant the seeds remain viable for about five years cultivation Lavender succeeds best on light limey or chalky soil but will do well in any good loam in gardens it is usually employed as an edging for flower beds and is most frequently propagated by division or cuttings seed being used only to get a start where plants cannot be secured in the other ways mentioned in cold climates the plants must either be protected or removed to a greenhouse or at least a cold frame which can be covered in severe weather the seed is sown indoors during march and if crowding pricked out two inches asunder when the ground has become warm the plants are set in the open 15 to 20 inches asunder it delights in a sunny situation and is most fragrant on poor soil rich soil makes the plant larger but the flowers poorer in perfume uses the plant is sometimes grown for a condiment and an addition to salads dressings etc but its chief use is in perfumery the flowers being gathered and either dried for use in sachet bags or distilled for their content of oil in former years no girl was supposed to be ready for marriage until with her own hands she had made her own linen and stored it with lavender and in some sections the lavender is still used though the linen is nowadays purchased in southern france and in england considerable areas are devoted to lavender for the perfumery business the flower stems are cut in august covered at once with vast matting to protect them from the sun and taken to the stills to obtain the thin pale yellow fragrant oil four-year-old plants will yield the greatest amount of oil but the product is greater from a two-year plantation than from an older one the plants then being most vigorous two grades of oil are made the best being used for lavender water the poorer for soap making in a good season about one pound of oil is obtained from 150 to 200 pounds of the cut plants end of section 28 section 29 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes Lovage Lovestacum officially now Koch a perennial native of the Mediterranean region the large dark green shining radical leaves are usually divided into two or three segments toward the top the thick hollow erect stems divide to form opposite world branches which bear umbels of yellow flowers followed by highly aromatic hollowed fruits seeds with three prominent ribs propagation is by division or by seeds not over three years old in late summer when the seed ripens it is sown and the seedlings transplanted either in the fall or as early in spring as possible to their permanent places rich moist soil is needed root division is performed in early spring with cultivation and alternation like that given to Angelica the plants should last for several years formerly Lovage was used for a great variety of purposes but nowadays it is restricted almost wholly to confectionary the young stems being handled like those of Angelica so far as i have been able to learn the leaf stalks and stem bases which were formerly blanched like celery are no longer used in this way end of section 29 section 30 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org recording by jennifer painter culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by morris brenville canes marigold calendula officinalis vinaeus an annual herb of the natural order composite native of southern europe its Latin name suggestive of its flowering habit signifies blooming through the months our word calendar is of the same derivation its short stems about 12 inches tall branch near their bases bare lancelite oblong unpleasantly scented leaves and showy yellow or orange flowers in heads the curved gray seeds which are rough wrinkled and somewhat spiny retain their germinating power for about three years cultivation for the garden the seed is usually started in a hotbed during march or april and the plants pricked out in flats two inches apart and hardened off in the usual way when the weather becomes settled they are set a foot or 15 inches apart in rather poor soil preferably light and sandy with sunny exposure often the seed is sown in the open and the seedlings thinned and transplanted when about two inches tall uses the flower heads are sometimes dried and used in broths soups stews etc but the flavor is too pronounced for American palates one gardener remarked that only a few plants are needed by a family i think that two would produce about twice as much as i would care to use in a century for culinary use the flowers are gathered when in full bloom dried in the shade and stored in glass jars the fresh flowers have often been used to color butter the marigold homely forgotten flower under the roses bower plain as a weed to quote Bayard Taylor is a general favorite flowering plant especially in country gardens it is so easily grown is so free a bloomer and under ordinary management continues from early summer until even hard frosts arrive that busy farmers wives and daughters love it then too it is one of the old-fashioned flowers about which so many happy thoughts cling what more beautiful and suggestive lines could one wish than these the marigold whose courteous face echoes the sun and duff unlace her at his rise at his full stop packs up and shuts her gaudy shop John Cleveland on Phyllis walking before sunrise youth youth how buoyant are thy hopes they turn like marigolds towards the sunny side Jean Ingello the four bridges end of section 30 section 31 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Jennifer Painter culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Morris Grenville Keynes Marjoram two species of marjoram now grown for culinary purposes several others were formerly popular are members of the Labite or mint family pot or perennial marjoram oregano vulgari Linnaeus and sweet or annual oh marjorana really both plants are perennials but sweet marjoram because of its liability to be killed by frost is so commonly cultivated in cold countries as an annual that it has acquired this name which readily distinguishes it from its hardy relative perennial marjoram is a native of Europe but has become naturalized in many cool and even cold temperate climates it is often found wild in the Atlantic states in the borders of woods the general name oreganum meaning delight of the mountain is derived from two greek words oros mountain and ganos joy some of the species being found commonly upon mountain sides under cultivation it is developed a few varieties the most popular of which are a variegated form used for ornamental purposes and a dwarf variety noted for its ability to come true to seed both varieties are used in cookery the perennial species seems to have had the longer association with civilization at least it is the one identified in the writings of pinney albertus magnus and the english herbalists of the middle ages annual marjoram is thought to be the species considered sacred in india to vishnu and siva description perennial marjoram rises even two feet high in branchy clumps bears numerous short stemmed ovate leaves about one inch long and terminal clusters or short spikes of little pale lilac or pink blossoms and purple brats the oval brown seeds are very minute they are however heavy for their size since a quart of them weighs about 24 ounces i'm told that an ounce contains more than 340 000 and would rather believe than to be forced to prove it annual marjoram is much more erect more bush-like has smaller narrower leaves whiter flowers green brats and larger but lighter seeds only 113 000 to the ounce and only 20 ounces to the court cultivation perennial marjoram when once established may be readily propagated by cuttings division or layers but it is so easy to grow from seed that this method is usually employed there is little danger of its becoming a weed because the seedlings are easily destroyed while small the seed should be sown during march or april in flats or beds that can be protected from rain it is merely dusted on the surface the soil being pressed down slightly with a board or a brick until the seedlings appear the bed should be shaded to check evaporation when the plants are two or three inches tall they may be transplanted to the places where they are to remain as they are not so easy to transplant as lettuce and geraniums the work should be done while the plants are very small and larger numbers should be set then will ultimately be allowed to grow i've had no difficulty in transplanting but some people who have had prefer to sow the seed where the plants are to stand if to be used for edging the dwarf plants may be set three or six inches apart the larger kinds require a foot or 15 inches in which to develop in field cultivation the greater distance is the more desirable from the very start the plants must be kept free from weeds and the soil loose and open handwork is essential until they become established the plants will last for years annual marjoram is managed in the same kind of way as to seeding and cultivation but as the plant is tender fresh sowings must be made annually to be sure plants may be taken up in the fall and used for making cuttings or layers towards spring for the following season's beds as annual marjoram is somewhat smaller than the perennial kind except the dwarf perennial variety the distances may be somewhat less say nine or ten inches annual marjoram is a quick growing plant so quick in fact that leaves may be secured within six or eight weeks of sowing the flowers appear in 10 to 12 weeks and the seed ripens soon after when it is desired to cure the leaves for winter use the stems should be cut just as the flowers begin to appear and dried in the usual manner see page 25 if seed is wanted they should be cut soon after the flowers fall or even before all have fallen when the scales around the seeds begin to look as if drying the cut stems must be dried on sheets of very fine weave so to prevent loss of seed when the leaves are thoroughly dry they must be thrashed and rubbed before being placed in sieves first of course and then of finer mesh uses the leaves and the flower and tender stem tips of both species have a pleasant odor and are used for seasoning soups stews dressings and sauces they are specially favoured in France and Italy but are popular also in England and America in France marjoram is cultivated commercially for its oil a thin light yellow or greenish liquid with a concentrated odor of marjoram and peppermint it has a warm and slightly bitter taste about 200 pounds of stems and leaves are needed to get a pound of oil some distillation is done in England where 70 pounds of the plant yield about one ounce of oil this oil is used for perfuming toilet articles especially soap but is perhaps less popular than the essential oil of time end of section 31 section 32 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Jennifer Painter culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes mint, mentha viridis venus spearmint a member of the labiati is a very hardy perennial native to Mediterranean countries its generic name is derived from the mythological origin ascribed to it poets declared that prosopine became jealous of Cocytus's daughter minty whom she transformed into the plant the specific name means green hence the common name green mint often applied to it the old Jewish law did not require that tithes of mint annies and cumin should be paid into the treasury but the Pharisees paid them while omitting the weightier matters justice mercy and faith Matthew 23 23 from this and many other references in old writings it is evident that mint has been highly esteemed for many centuries in the 17th century John Gerard wrote concerning it that the smell rejoices the heart of man indeed it has been so universally esteemed that it is found wild in nearly all countries to which civilization has extended it has been known as an escape from american gardens for about 200 years and is sometimes troublesome as a weed in moist soil description from creeping rootstocks erect square stems rise to a height of about two feet and near their summits bear spreading branches with very short stemmed acute pointed lance shaped wrinkled leaves with toothed edges and cylindrical spikes of small pink or lilac flowers followed by very few roundish minute brown seeds cultivation the plant may be easily propagated by means of cuttings offsets and division in spring they may be expected to yield somewhat of a crop for first season but much more the second in field culture they will continue profitable for several years provided that each autumn the tops are cut off near the ground and a liberal dressing of manure compost or even rich soil is given in ordinary garden practice it is well also to observe this plan but usually mint is there allowed to shift for itself along with the horseradish and the jerusalem artichoke when such plants are grown so treated it is likely to give trouble because having utilized the food in one spot its stems seek to migrate to better quarters hence if the idea is to neglect the plants a corner of the garden should be chosen where there is no danger of there becoming a nuisance it is best to avoid all such trouble by renewing or changing the beds every five or six years mint will grow anywhere but does best in a moist rich loam and partial shade if in a sheltered spot it will start earlier in the spring than if exposed upon an extensive scale the drills should be two inches deep and 12 to 15 inches apart bits of the rootstocks are dropped at intervals of six to 12 inches in the rows and covered with a wheel hoe for a new plantation the rootstocks should be secured when the stems have grown two or three inches tall for forcing the clumps are lifted in solid masses with the soil attached and placed in hotbeds or forcing house benches three or four inches of moist soil is worked in among and over them and watered freely as soon as growth starts cuttings may be made in two or three weeks often mint is so grown in lettuce and violet houses both upon and under the benches during winter and spring there is enough of a demand for the young tender stems and leaves to make the plants pay it is said that the returns from an ordinary three by six foot hotbed sash should be 10 to 15 dollars for the winter for drying the stems should be cut on a dry day when the plants are approaching full bloom and after the dew has disappeared in the morning they should be spread out very thinly in the shade or in an airy shed see page 25 if cut during damp weather there is danger of the leaves turning black uses in both the green and the dried state mint is widely used in europe for flavoring soups stews and sauces for meats of unpronounced character among the germans pulverized mint is commonly upon the table in cruits for dusting upon gravies and soups especially pea and bean purees in england and america the most universal use of mint is for making mint sauce these sauce par excellence with roast spring lamb nothing can be simpler than to mince the tender tops and leaves very very finely add to vinegar and sweeten to taste many people fancy they don't like roast lamb the chances are that they have never eaten it with well made mint sauce in recent years mint jelly has been taking the place of the sauce and perhaps justly because it can not only be kept indefinitely without deterioration but because it looks and is more tempting it may be made by steeping mint leaves in apple jelly or in one of the various kinds of commercial gelatin so popular for making cold fruit puddings the jelly should be a delicate shade of green of course before pouring into the jelly glasses the liquid is strained through a jelly bag to remove all particles of mint a handful of leaves should color and flavour four to six glasses full end of section 32 section 33 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Jennifer Painter culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Morris Grenfell Canes Parsley Karum Petrocellinum Linnaeus a hardy biennial herb of the natural order umbelliferae native to Mediterranean shores and cultivated for at least 2 000 years the specific name is derived from the habitat of the plant which naturally grows among rocks the Greek word for which is Petros many of the ancient writings contain references to it and some give directions for its cultivation the writings of the old herbalists of the 15th century show that in their times it had already developed several well-defined forms and numerous varieties always a sure sign that a plant is popular throughout the world today it is unquestionably the most widely grown of all garden herbs and has the largest number of varieties in moist moderately cool climates it may be found wild as a weave but nowhere has it become a pest ah the green parsley the thriving tufts of dill these again shall rise shall live the coming year Moscus description like most biennials parsley develops only a rosette of leaves during the first year these leaves are dark green long stalked and divided two or three times into ovate wedge shaped segments and each division either entire as in parsnip or more or less finely cut or curled during the second season the erect branched channeled flower stems rise two feet or more high and at their extremities bear umbells of little greenish flowers the fruits or seeds are light brown or gray convex on one side and flat on the other two the convex side marked with fine ribs they retain their germinating power for three years an interesting fact observed by Palladius in 210 AD is that old seed germinates more freely than freshly gathered seed cultivation parsley is so easily grown that no garden and indeed no household need be without it after once passing the infant stage no difficulty need be experienced it will thrive in any ordinary soil and will do well in a window box with only a moderate amount of light and that not even direct sunshine gardeners often grow it beneath benches in greenhouses where it gets only small amounts of light no one need hesitate to plant it the seed is very slow in germinating often requiring four to six weeks unless soaked before sowing a full day's soaking in tepid water is numb too long to wake up the germs the drills may be made in a cold frame during march or in the open ground during april it is essential that parsley be sown very early in order to germinate at all if sown late it may possibly not get enough moisture to sprout and if so it will fail completely when sown in cold frames or beds for transplanting the rows may be only three or four inches apart although it is perhaps better when such distances are chosen to sow each alternate row to forcing radishes which will have been marketed by the time the parsley seedlings appear in the open ground the drills should be 12 to 15 inches apart and the seed planted somewhat deeper and further apart than in the presumably better prepared seed bed or cold frame one inch between seeds is numb too little in field culture and at the distances mentioned six or seven pounds of seed will be needed for the acre for cultivation on a smaller scale an ounce may be found sufficient for 50 or 100 feet of drill this quantity should be enough for any ordinary sized family in all open ground culture the radish is the parsley's best friend because it not only marks the rows and thus helps early cultivation but the radishes break loosen and shade the soil and thus aid the parsley plants when the first thinning is done during may the parsley plants may be allowed to stand two inches asunder when they begin to crowd at this distance each second plant may be removed and sold four to six little plants make a bunch the roots are left on this thinning will not only aid the remaining plants but should bring enough revenue to pay the cost perhaps even a little more the first cutting of leaves from plants of field sown seed should be ready by mid-summer but as noted below it is usually best to practice the method that will hasten maturity and thus catch the best price a bunch is about the amount that can be grasped between the thumb and the first finger 10 to 15 stalks it is usual to divide the field into three parts so as to have a succession of cuttings about three weeks are required for a new crop of leaves to grow and mature after the plants have been cut larger yields can be secured by cutting only the fully matured leaves allowing the others to remain and develop for later cuttings three or four times as much can be gathered from a given area in this way all plain leaves of such plants injure the appearance and reduce the price of the bunches when offered for sale if protected from frost the plants will yield all winter they may be easily transplanted in cold frames these should be placed in some warm sheltered spot and the plants set in them four by six inches mats or shutters will be needed in only the coldest weather half a dozen to a dozen stalks make the usual bunch and retail for two or three cents in the home garden parsley may be sown as an edging for flowerbeds and borders for such purpose it is best to sow the seed quickly during late october or november in double rows close together say three or four inches sown at that time the plants may be expected to appear earlier than if spring sown and to form a ribbon of verdure which will remain green not only all the growing season but well into winter if desired it is best however to dig them up in the fall and re-sow for the year succeeding for window culture all that is needed is a box filled with rich soil the roots may be dug in the fall and planted in the box a sunny window is best but any window will do if space is at a premium a nail keg may be made to yield a large amount of leaves not only may the tops be filled with plants but the sides also holes should be bored in the staves about four inches apart see illustration page two a layer of earth is placed in the bottom as deep as the lowest tier of holes then roots are pushed through these holes and a second layer of earth put in the process is repeated till the keg is full then plants are set on the top as the keg is being filled the earth should be packed very firmly both around the plants and in the keg when full the soil should be thoroughly soaked and allowed to drain before being taken to the window to ensure a supply of water for all the plants a short piece of pipe should be placed in the center of the keg so as to reach about halfway toward the bottom this will enable water to reach the plants placed in the lower tiers of holes if the leaves look yellow at any time they may need water or a little manure water as parsley is grown for its leaves it can scarcely be over fertilized like cabbage but of course upon a much smaller scale it is a gross feeder it demands that plenty of nitrogenous food be in the soil that is the soil should be well supplied with humus preferably derived from decaying leguminous crops or from stable manure a favorite commercial fertilizer for parsley consists of three percent nitrogen eight percent potash and nine percent phosphoric acid applied in the drills at the rate of 600 to 900 pounds to the acre in two or three applications especially the nitrogen to supply which nitrate of soda is the most popular material a common practice among market gardeners in the neighborhood of new york has been to sow the seed in their cold frames between rows of lettuces transplanted during march or early april the lettuce is cut in May by which time the parsley is getting up when grown by this plan the crop may be secured four or five weeks earlier than if the seed is sown in the open ground the first cutting may be made during june after this first cutting has been made the markets usually becomes overstopped and the price falls so many growers do not cut again until early september when they cut and destroy the leaves preparatory to securing an autumn and winter supply when the weather becomes cool and when the plants have developed a new and sturdy rosette of leaves they are transplanted in shallow trenches either in cold frames in cool greenhouses lettuce and violet houses under the benches of greenhouses or in fact any convenient place that is not likely to prove satisfactory for growing plants that require more heat and light this method it must be said is not now as popular near the large cities as before the development of the great trucking fields in the atlantic coast states but it is a thoroughly practical plan and well worth practicing in the neighborhood of smaller cities and towns not adequately supplied with this garnishing and flavoring herb a fair return from a cold frame to which the plants have been transplanted ranges from three to seven dollars during the winter months since many sashes are stored during this season such a possible return deserves to be considered the total annual yield from an acre by this method may vary from 500 to 800 dollars or even more gross by the ordinary field method from 150 to 300 dollars is the usual range instead of throwing away the leaves cut in September it should be profitable to dry these leaves and sell them in tins or jars for flavoring when it is desired to supply the demand for american seed which is preferred to european the plants may be managed in any of the ways already mentioned either allowed to remain in the field or transplanted to cold frames or greenhouses if left in the field they should be partially buried with litter or coarse manure as the ground will not be occupied more than a third of the second season a crop of early beets forcing carrots radishes lettuce or some other quick maturing crop may be sown between the rows of parsley plants such crops will mature by the time the parsley seed is harvested in late may or early june and the ground can then be plowed and fitted for some late crop such as early maturing but late sown sweetcorn celery dwarf peas late beets or string beans when seed is desired every imperfect or undesirable plant should be rooted out and destroyed so that none but the best can fertilize each other in early spring the litter must be either removed from the plants and the ground between the rows given a cultivation to loosen the surface or it may be raked between the rows and allowed to remain until after seed harvest in this latter case of course no other crop can be grown like celery seed parsley seed ripens very irregularly some umbels being ready to cut from one to three weeks earlier than others this quality of the plant may be bred out by keeping the earliest maturing seed separate from the later maturing and choosing this for producing subsequent seed crops by such selection one to three weeks may be saved in later seasons a saving of time not to be ignored in gardening operations in ordinary seed production the heads are cut when the bulk of the seed is brown or at least dark colored the stalks are cut carefully to avoid shattering the seed off they are laid upon sheets of duck or canvas and threshed very lightly at once to remove only the ripest seed then the stalks are spread thinly on shutters or sheets in the sun for two days and threshed again at that time all seed ripe enough to germinate will fall off both lots of seed must be spread thinly on the sheets in an airy shed or loft and turned daily for 10 days or two weeks to make sure they are thoroughly dry before being screened in a fanning mill and stored in sacks hung in a loft varieties there are four well-defined groups of parsley varieties common or plain curled or moss-leaved fern-leaved and hamburg the last is also known as turnip rooted or large rooted the objections to plain parsley are that it is not as ornamental as moss-leaved or fern-leaved sorts and because it may be mistaken for fools parsley a plant reputed to be more or less poisonous in the curled varieties the leaves are more or less deeply cut and the segments reflexed to a greater or less extent sometimes even to the extent of showing the lighter green undersides in this group are several sub varieties distinguished by minor differences such as extent of reflexing and size of the plants in the fern-leaved group the very dark green leaves are not curled but divided into numerous thread light segments which give the plant a very delicate and dainty appearance hamburg turnip rooted or large rooted parsley is little grown in america it is not used as a darnish or a herb but the root is cooked as a vegetable like carrots or beets these roots resemble those of parsnips they're often six inches long and two inches in diameter their cultivation is like that of parsnips they are cooked and served like carrots in flavor they resemble celeriac or turnip rooted celery but are not so pleasing in germany the plant is rather popular but except via german gardens it has been little cultivated in this country uses the germans use both roots and tops for cooking the former as a boiled vegetable the latter as a pot herb in english cookery the leaves are more extensively used for seasoning fricases and dressings for mild meats such as chicken and veal than perhaps anything else in american cookery parsley is also popular for this purpose but is most extensively used as a garnish in many countries the green leaves are mixed with salads to add flavor often especially among the germans the minced green leaves are mixed with other vegetables just before being served for instance if a liberal dusting of finely minced parsley be added to peeled boiled potatoes immediately after draining this vegetable will seem like a new dish of unusual delicacy the potatoes may be either served whole or mashed with a little butter milk and pepper end of section 33 section 34 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Nan Dodge culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Maurice Grenville Keynes penny royal mantha polygium lin the perennial herb of the natural order labiote native of europe and parts of asia found wild and naturalized throughout the civilized world in strong moist soil on the borders of ponds and streams its square prostrate stems which readily take root at the nodes bear roundish oval grayish green slightly hairy leaves and small lilac blue flowers in world clusters of ten or a dozen rising in tears one above another at the nodes the seed is light brown oval and very small like most of its near relatives penny royal is highly aromatic perhaps even more so than any other mint the flavor is more pungent and acrid and less agreeable than that of spearmint or peppermint ordinarily the plant is propagated by division like mint or more rarely by cuttings cultivation is the same as that of mint plantations generally last for four or five years and even longer when well managed and unfavorable soil in england it is more extensively cultivated than in america for drying and for its oil of which latter a yield of 12 pounds to the acre is considered good the leaves green or dried are used abroad to flavor puddings and other culinary preparations but the taste and odor are usually not pleasant to american and english palates and noses end of section 34 section 35 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a libydox recording all libydox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libydox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by morris grenthill cans peppermint mentha pipatria linn is much the same inhabit of growth as spearmint it is a native of northern europe where it may be found in moist situations along stream banks and in wastelands in america it is probably even more common as an escape than spearmint like its relative it has long been known and grown in gardens and fields especially in europe asia and united states description like spearmint the plant has creeping rootstocks which rapidly extend it and often make it a troublesome weed in moist ground the stems are smaller than those of spearmint not so tall and are more purplish they bear ovate smooth leaves upon longer stalks than those of spearmint the world clusters of little reddish violet flowers form loose interrupted spikes no seed is born cultivation although peppermint bethers wet even swampy soil it will do well on moist loam it is cultivated like spearmint in michigan western new york and other parts of the country it is grown commercially upon muck lands for the oil distilled from its leaves and stems among essential oils peppermint ranks first in importance it's a colorless yellowish or greenish liquid with a peculiar highly penetrating odor and a burning conforescent taste an interesting use is made of it by sanitary engineers who test the tightness of pipe joints by its aid it has the faculty of making its escape and portraying the presence of leaks it is largely employed in the manufacturer of soaps and perfumery but probably its best known use is for flavoring confectionery end of section 35 section 36 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a libidox recording all libidox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libidox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by morris gremville cairns rosemary rosemaryus aficionanicus linn as its generic name implies rosemary is a native of sea coasts rose coming from rose dew and mary from marinas ocean it is one of the many labetier found wild in limey situations along the Mediterranean coast in ancient times many and varied virtues were ascribed to the plant hence is aficionados or medical name perhaps also the belief that where rosemary flourishes the lady rules pilni diosacrodes and galene all write about it it was cultivated by the spaniards in the 13th century and from the 15th to the 18th century was popular as a condiment with salt meats but are since declined in popularity until now it is used for seasoning almost exclusively in italian french spanish and german cookery description the plant is a half hardy evergreen two feet or more tall the erect branching woody stems bear a perfusion of little obtuse linear leaves green above and hoary white beneath on the upper parts they bear pale blue auxiliary flowers in leafy clusters the light brown seeds white where they were attached to the plant will germinate even when four years old all parts of the plant are frequent the humble rosemary whose sweets so franklessly are shed to scent the dessert thomas moor one of the pleasing superstitions connected with this plant is that it strengthens the memory thus it has become the emblem of remembrance and fidelity hence the origin of the old custom of wearing it at weddings in many parts of europe there's rosemary that's for remembrance pray love remember and there is pansies that's for forts hamlet act four scene five cultivation rosemary is easily propagated by means of cuttings root division and layers in early spring but is most frequently multiplied by seed it does best in rather poor light soil especially if limey the seed is either sown in drills 18 to 24 inches apart or in checks two feet asunder each way half a dozen seeds been dropped in each hill sometimes the seabed method is employed the seed being sown either under glass or in the open ground and the seedlings transplanted cultivation consists in keeping the soil loose and open and free from weeds no special directions unnecessary to curing in frostless sections and even where protected by buildings fences etc in moderate climbs the plants will continue to fry for years uses the tender leaves and stems and the flowers are used for flavoring stews fish and meat sauces but are not widely popular in america our foreign-born population however uses it somewhat in france large quantities both cultivated and wild are used for distilling the oil of rosemary a colorless or yellowish liquid suggesting canthor but even more pleasant this oil is extensively used in perfuming soaps but more especially in the manufacture of urda cologne hungary water and other perfumes end of section 36 section 37 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Morris Grenville Keynes Rue Ruta Graviolans Linnaeus a hardy perennial herb of roundish bushy habit native of southern europe it is a member of the same botanical family as the orange root Hosea in olden times it was highly reputed for seasoning and for medicine among the greeks and the romans in Pliny's time it was considered to be effectual for 84 maladies today it hangs only by its eyelids to our pharmacopeia apocas notes it among the condiments in the third century and magnus 11 centuries later praises it among the garden escalants at present it is little used for seasoning even by the italians and the germans and almost not at all by english and american cooks probably because of its acridity and its ability to blister the skin when much handled Rue has been chosen by poets to express disdain Shakespeare speaks of it as the sour herb of grace and Theodobox says when a rose is too haughty for heaven's due she becomeeth a spider's gray lair and a bosom that never devotion knew of affection divine shall be filled with Rue and with darkness and end with despair description the much branch stems woody below rise 18 to 24 inches and bear a small oblong or oboe bluish-green glaucus leaves two or three times divided the terminal one broader and notched at the end the rather large greenish yellow flowers born in corums or short terminal clusters appear all summer in the round four or five lobed seed vessels are black kidney shaped seeds which retain their vitality two years or even longer the whole plant has a very acrid bitter taste and a pungent smell cultivation the plant may be readily propagated by means of seed by cuttings by layers and by division of the tufts no special directions are needed except to say that when in the place they are to remain the plant should be at least 18 inches apart 21 or 24 inches each way would be even better Rue does well on almost any well-drained soil but prefers a rather poor clay loam it is well then to plant it in the most barren part of the garden as the flowers are rather attractive Rue is often used among shrubbery for ornamental purposes when so grown it is well to cut the stems close to the ground every two or three years uses because of the exceedingly strong smell of the leaves Rue is disagreeable to most Americans and could not become popular as the seasoning yet it is used to a small extent by people who like bitter flavors not only in culinary preparations but in beverages the whole plant is used in distilling a colorless oil which is used in making aromatic vinegars and other toilet preparations a pound of oil may be secured from 150 to 200 pounds of the plant end of section 37 section 38 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Morris Grenville Keynes sage salvio aficionalis Linnaeus the perennial member of the labiate found naturally on dry Calcarias Hills in southern Europe and northern Africa in ancient times it was one of the most highly esteemed of all plants because of its reputed health-insuring properties an old adage reads how can a man die and whose garden sage is growing its very names be token the high regard in which it was held salvia is derived from salvas to be safe for salveio to be in good health or to heal hence also salvation and aficionalis stamps its authority or indicates it's recognized official standing the name sage meaning wisdom appears to have had a different origin but as the plant was reputed to strengthen the memory there seems to be ground for believing that those who ate the plants would be wise description the almost woody stems rise usually 15 to 18 inches high though in Holtz mammoth double these sizes not uncommon the leaves are oblong pale green finely toothed land shaped wrinkled and rough usually bluish lilac sometimes pink or white flowers born in the axels of the upper leaves in worlds of three or four form loose terminal spikes or clusters over seven thousand the small globular almost black seeds which retain their vitality about three years are required to weigh an ounce and nearly 20 ounces to the court cultivation sage does best upon mellow well drained soil of moderate fertility for cultivation on a large scale the soil should be plowed deeply and allowed to remain in the rough furrows during the winter to be broken up as much as possible by the frost in the spring it should be fined for the crop sage is easily propagated by division layers and cuttings but these ways are practiced on an extensive scale only with the Holtz mammoth variety which produces no seed for other varieties seed is most popular this is sewn and drills at the rate of two seeds to the inch and covered about one quarter inch deep at this rate and in rows 15 inches apart about eight pounds of seed will be needed to the acre usually market gardeners prefer to grow sage as a second crop they therefore raise the plants in nursery beds the seed is sown in very early spring not thicker than already mentioned but in rows closer together six to nine inches usually from the start the seedlings are kept clean cultivated and encouraged to grow stocky by late may or early june the first sowings of summer vegetables will have been marketed and the ground ready for the sage the ground is then put in good condition in the sage seedlings transplanted six or eight inches apart usually clean cultivation is maintained until the sage has possession when the plants meet usually during late august the alternate ones are cut bunched and sold at this time one plant should make a good bunch when the rows meet in mid september the alternate rows are marketed the plant they're making about two bunches by the middle of october the final cutting may be started when the remaining plant should be large enough to make about three bunches each this last cutting may continue well into november without serious loss of lower leaves if the plants are not thin but are allowed to crowd the lower leaves will turn yellow and drop off thus entailing loss for cultivation with hand wheel hose the plants in the rows should not stand closer than two inches at first as soon as they touch each second one should be removed in this process repeated till one growing in a commercial way each alternate row has been removed finally the plant should be 12 to 15 inches apart for cultivation by horse the rows will need to be farther apart than already noted 18 to 24 inches is the usual range of distances when grown on a large scale sage usually follows field grown lettuce early peas or early cabbage if not cut too closely or too late in the season sage plants stand a fair chance to survive moderate winters the specimens which secede in doing so may be divided and transplanted to new soil with little trouble this is the common practice in home gardens and is usually more satisfactory than growing a lot of new plants from seed each spring for drying or for decocting the leaves are cut when the flowers appear they are dried in the shade if a second cutting is to be made and if it is desired that the plants shall live over winter the second cutting must not be made later than september in the north because the new stems will not have time to mature before frost and the plants will probably winter kill sage seed is produced in open cups on slender branches which grow well above the leaves it turns black when ripe the stems which bear it should be cut during a dry afternoon as soon as the seeds are ripe and placed on sheets to cure and several cuttings are necessary because the seed ripens unevenly when any one lot of stems on a sheet is dry a light flail or a rod will serve to beat the seed loose then small seeds and a gentle breeze will separate the seed from the trash after screening the seed should be spread on a sheet in a warm airy place for a week or so to dry still more before being stored in cloth sacks the fair yield of leaves may be secured after seed has been gathered uses because of their highly aromatic odor sage leaves have long been used for seasoning dressings especially to disguise the two great lusciousness of strong meats such as pork goose and duck it is one of the most important flavoring ingredients in certain kinds of sausage and cheese in France the whole herb is used to distill with water in order to secure essential oil of sage a greenish yellow liquid employed in perfumery about 300 pounds of the stems and leaves yield one pound of oil end of section 38 section 39 of culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org culinary herbs their cultivation harvesting curing and uses by Morris Grenville Gaines samfire chrysmum maritime Linnaeus the european perennial of the umbeliferae common along rocky secos and cliffs beyond the reach of the tide from the creeping root stocks short sturdy more or less widely branched stems arise these bear two or three thick fleshy segmented leaves and umbels of small whitish flowers followed by yellow elliptical convex ribbed very light seeds which rarely retain their germinating power more than a year in gardens the seed is therefore generally sown in the autumn as soon as mature and fairly rich light well-drained loam the seedling should be protected with a mulch of straw leaves or other material during winter after the removal of the mulch in the spring no special care is needed in cultivation the young tender aromatic and saline leaves and shoots are pickled in vinegar either alone or with other vegetables end of section 39