178. _LAVENDER is a well-known perennial garden plant_ (Lavandula spica)
_which grows wild in the south of Europe, and the flowers of which yield
a grateful perfume._
Such is the fragrance of this delightful flower, and so easy is its
culture, that we can now scarcely enter a garden in which it is not found.
It will grow in almost any soil, but it flourishes most luxuriantly in
clayey ground; and in situations whence, without inconvenience, it can be
conveyed to the metropolis, it is a very valuable crop.
When cultivated to any extent, lavender should be planted in rows two or
three feet apart, and the sets should be about two feet from each other. It
is usually propagated from slips. During dry weather, in the month of July,
the flowers should be gathered, by cutting off the heads close to the stem;
after which they must be tied in bundles to be distilled.
When distilled with water, the _flowers_ of lavender, if in a mature state,
yield an essential _oil_; generally in the proportion of about one ounce of
oil to sixty ounces of flowers. This oil is of a bright yellow colour, and
possesses the perfect fragrance of the lavender. But, if distilled with
rectified spirit, the virtues are more completely extracted. From the
leaves a very small proportion of oil can be obtained.
The preparations of this plant that are used in medicine are, the essential
oil, a simple _spirit_, and a compound tincture. Lavender, however, is much
more frequently and more extensively employed as a perfume than
medicinally. The flowers are deposited in chests and wardrobes among linen,
not only on account of their fragrant smell, but also from an opinion that
their odour will prevent the depredations of moths and other insects. The
perfume called _lavender water_ may be prepared by mixing three drachms of
oil of lavender, and one drachm of essence of ambergris, with one pint of
spirit of wine.
Lavender is supposed to have been first cultivated in England about the
year 1558.
179. _COMMON or SPEAR-MINT_ (Mentha viridis), _one of our most frequent
garden herbs, is a native British plant, and grows wild in watery places,
and near the banks of rivers, in several parts of England._
The ancients ascribed many virtues to different kinds of mint, but it is
not now possible to ascertain correctly the respective species, though
there can be little doubt that spear-mint was one of the most important of
them. Its flavour is to many persons peculiarly agreeable, and, on this
account, it is employed for several culinary purposes, both in a green and
dried state.
The _leaves_ are used in spring salads, are boiled with peas, and put into
soup. In conjunction with vinegar and sugar they form a sauce for lamb; and
prepared with sugar, they are made into a grateful conserve. Spear-mint is
occasionally used in medicine, and the officinal preparations of it are the
conserve, an essential oil, a simple distilled water, a spirit, and a
tincture, or extract. In drying, the leaves lose about three-fourths of
their weight, but without suffering much either in taste or smell.
180. _PEPPER MINT_ (Mentha piperita) _is a British plant, which grows in
watery places, and is cultivated chiefly on account of an oil and
distilled water which are prepared from it._
This is the strongest and most aromatic of all the mints; and, on this
account, is more used in medicine than any other species. When distilled
with water it yields a considerable quantity of essential oil, of pale
greenish yellow colour. The well-known liquor called _pepper mint water_,
prepared from this plant, is an excellent stomachic: but is too often used
in cases of impaired appetite, and for the relief of various imaginary
complaints.