bushy habit, native of southern Europe. It is a member of the same
botanical family as the orange, Rutaceæ. 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 pharmacopoeia. Apicus
notes it among the condiments in the third century, and Magnus eleven
centuries later praises it among the garden esculents. 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 Theudobach says:
"When a rose is too haughty for heaven's dew
She becometh a spider's gray lair;
And a bosom, that never devotion knew
Or affection divine, shall be filled with rue
And with darkness, and end with despair."
_Description._--The much branched stems, woody below, rise 18 to 24
inches and bear small oblong or obovate, stalked, bluish-green glaucous
leaves, two or three times divided, the terminal one broader and notched
at the end. The rather large, greenish-yellow flowers, borne in corymbs
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
plants 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 clayey 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.
[Illustration: Rue, Sour Herb of Grace]
_Uses._--Because of the exceedingly strong smell of the leaves, rue is
disagreeable to most Americans, and could not become popular as a
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.
=Sage= (_Salvia officinalis_, Linn.), a perennial member of the Labiatæ,
found naturally on dry, calcareous 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 in whose garden sage
is growing?" Its very names betoken the high regard in which it was
held; salvia is derived from _salvus_, to be safe, or _salveo_, to be in
good health or to heal; (hence also salvation!) and _officinalis_ stamps
its authority or indicates its 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 plant would be wise.
_Description._--The almost woody stems rise usually 15 to 18 inches
high, though in Holt's Mammoth double these sizes is not uncommon. The
leaves are oblong, pale green, finely toothed, lance-shaped, wrinkled
and rough. The usually bluish-lilac, sometimes pink or white flowers,
borne in the axils of the upper leaves in whorls of three or four, form
loose terminal spikes or clusters. Over 7,000 of 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 quart.
_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 Holt's Mammoth variety, which produces no seed. For other
varieties seed is most popular. This is sown in drills at the rate of
two seeds to the inch and covered about 1/4 inch deep. At this rate and
in rows 15 inches apart about 8 pounds of seed will be needed to the
acre.
[Illustration: Sage, the Leading Herb for Duck and Goose Dressing]
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, 6 to 9 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
and the sage seedlings transplanted 6 or 8 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, a
plant then making about two bunches. By the middle of October the final
cutting may be started, when the remaining plants 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 thinned, but are allowed to crowd, the lower leaves will turn yellow
and drop off, thus entailing loss.
For cultivation with hand-wheel hoes the plants in the rows should not
stand closer than 2 inches at first. As soon as they touch, each second
one should be removed and this process repeated till, when growing in a
commercial way, each alternate row has been removed. Finally, the plants
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 succeed 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 new lot of 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, this 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 winterkill.
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
sieves 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. A
fair yield of leaves may be secured after seed has been gathered.
[Illustration: Relative Sizes of Holt's Mammoth and Common Sage Leaves]
_Uses._--Because of their highly aromatic odor sage leaves have long
been used for seasoning dressings, especially to disguise the too 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.
=Samphire= (_Crithmum maritimum_, Linn.), a European perennial of the
Umbelliferæ, common along rocky sea coasts and cliffs beyond the reach
of the tide. From its creeping rootstocks 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 in fairly rich,
light, well-drained loam. The seedlings 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.
[Illustration: Dainty Summer Savory]
=Savory, Summer= (_Satureia hortensis_, Linn.), a little annual plant of
the natural order Labiatæ indigenous to Mediterranean countries and
known as an escape from gardens in various parts of the world. In
America, it is occasionally found wild on dry, poor soils in Ohio,
Illinois, and some of the western states. The generic name is derived
from an old Arabic name, _Ssattar_, by which the whole mint family was
known. Among the Romans both summer and winter savory were popular 2,000
years ago, not only for flavoring, but as potherbs. During the middle
ages and until the 18th century it still maintained this popularity. Up
to about 100 years ago it was used in cakes, puddings and confections,
but these uses have declined.
_Description._--The plant, which rarely exceeds 12 inches in height, has
erect, branching, herbaceous stems, with oblong-linear leaves, tapering
at their bases, and small pink or white flowers clustered in the axils
of the upper leaves, forming penciled spikes. The small, brown, ovoid
seeds retain their viability about three years. An ounce contains about
42,500 of them, and a quart 18 ounces.
_Cultivation._--For earliest use the seed may be sown in a spent hotbed
or a cold frame in late March, and the plants set in the open during
May. Usually, however, it is sown in the garden or the field where the
plants are to remain. In the hotbed the rows may be 3 or 4 inches apart;
in the field they should be not less than 9 inches, and only this
distance when hand wheel-hoes are to be used, and each alternate row is
to be removed as soon as the plants begin to touch across the rows. Half
a dozen seeds dropped to the inch is fairly thick sowing. As the seed is
small, it must not be covered deeply; 1/4 inch is ample. When the rows
are 15 inches apart about 4 pounds of seed will be needed to the acre.
For horse cultivation the drills should be 20 inches apart. Both summer
and winter savory do well on rather poor dry soils. If started in
hotbeds, the first plants may be gathered during May. Garden-sown seed
will produce plants by June. For drying, the nearly mature stems should
be cut just as the blossoms begin to appear. No special directions are
needed as to drying. (See page 25.)
_Uses._--Both summer and winter savory are used in flavoring salads,
dressings, gravies, and sauces used with meats such as veal, pork, duck,
and goose and for increasing the palatability of such preparations as
croquettes, rissoles and stews. Summer savory is the better plant of the
two and should be in every home garden.
=Savory, Winter= (_Satureia montana_, Linn.), a semi-hardy, perennial,
very branching herb, native of southern Europe and northern Africa. Like
summer savory, it has been used for flavoring for many centuries, but is
not now as popular as formerly, nor is it as popular as summer savory.
_Description._--The numerous woody, slender, spreading stems, often more
than 15 inches tall, bear very acute, narrow, linear leaves and pale
lilac, pink, or white flowers in axillary clusters. The brown, rather
triangular seeds, which retain their vitality about three years, are
smaller than those of summer savory. Over 70,000 are in an ounce, and it
takes 15 ounces to fill a quart.
_Cultivation._--Winter savory is readily propagated by means of
cuttings, layers and division as well as seeds. No directions different
from those relating to summer savory are necessary, except that seed of
winter savory should be sown where the plants are to remain, because the
seedlings do not stand transplanting very well. Seed is often sown in
late summer where the climate is not severe or where winter protection
is to be given. The plant is fairly hardy on dry soils. When once
established it will live for several years.
To increase the yield the stems may be cut to within 4 or 5 inches of
the ground when about ready to flower. New shoots will appear and may be
cut in turn. For drying, the first cutting may be secured during July,
the second in late August or September. In all respects winter savory is
used like summer savory, but is considered inferior in flavor.
=Southernwood= (_Artemisia Abrotanum_, Linn.), a woody-stemmed perennial
belonging to the Compositæ and a native of southern Europe. It grows
from 2 to 4 feet tall, bears hairlike, highly aromatic leaves and heads
of small yellow flowers. The plant is often found in old-fashioned
gardens as an ornamental under the name of Old Man. In some countries
the young shoots are used for flavoring cakes and other culinary
preparations.
=Tansy= (_Tanacetum vulgare_, Linn.), a perennial of the Compositæ, native
of Europe, whence it has spread with civilization as a weed almost all
over the world. From the very persistent underground parts annual,
usually unbranched stems, sometimes 3 feet tall, are produced in more or
less abundance. They bear much-divided, oval, oblong leaves and numerous
small, yellow flower-heads in usually crowded corymbs. The small, nearly
conical seeds have five gray ribs and retain their germinability for
about two years.
Tansy is easily propagated by division of the clumps or by seed sown in
a hotbed for the transplanting of seedlings. It does well in any
moderately fertile garden soil, but why anyone should grow it except for
ornament, either in the garden or as an inedible garnish, is more than I
can understand. While its odor is not exactly repulsive, its acrid,
bitter taste is such that a nibble, certainly a single leaf, would last
most people a lifetime. Yet some people use it to flavor puddings,
omelettes, salads, stews and other culinary dishes. Surely a peculiar
order of gustatory preference! It is said that donkeys will eat
thistles, but I have never known them to eat tansy, and I am free to
confess that I rather admire their preference for the thistles.
=Tarragon= (_Artemisia Dracunculus_, Linn.), a fairly hardy, herbaceous
rather shrubby perennial of the Compositæ, supposed to be a native of
southern Russia, Siberia, and Tartary, cultivated for scarcely more
than 500 years for its leaves and tender shoots. In all civilized
countries its popular name, like its specific name, means dragon, though
why it should be so called is not clear.
[Illustration: Tarragon, the French Chef's Delight]
_Description._--The plant has numerous branching stems, which bear
lance-shaped leaves and nowadays white, sterile flowers. Formerly the
flowers were said to be fertile. No one should buy the seed offered as
tarragon. It is probably that of a related plant which resembles
tarragon in everything except flavor--which is absent! _Tagetes lucida_,
which may be used as a substitute for true tarragon, is easily
propagated by seed and can be procured from seedsmen under its own name.
As tarragon flowers appear to be perfect, it is possible that some
plants may produce a few seeds, and that plants raised from these seeds
may repeat the wonder. Indeed, a variety which naturally produces seed
may thus be developed and disseminated. Here is one of the possible
opportunities for the herb grower to benefit his fellow-men.
_Cultivation._--At present tarragon is propagated only by cuttings,
layers and division. There is no difficulty in either process. The plant
prefers dry, rather poor soil, in a warm situation. In cold climates it
should be partially protected during the winter to prevent alternate
freezing and thawing of both the soil and the plant. In moist and heavy
soil it will winterkill. Strawy litter or conifer boughs will serve the
purpose well. Half a dozen to a dozen plants will supply the needs of a
family. As the plants spread a good deal and as they grow 15 to 18
inches tall, or even more, they should be set in rows 18 to 24 inches
apart each way. In a short time they will take possession of the ground.
_Uses._--The tender shoots and the young leaves are often used in
salads, and with steaks, chops, etc., especially by the French. They are
often used as an ingredient in pickles. Stews, soups, croquettes, and
other meat preparations are also flavored with tarragon, and for
flavoring fish sauces it is especially esteemed.
Probably the most popular way it is employed, however, is as a decoction
in vinegar. For this purpose, the green parts are gathered preferably in
the morning and after washing are placed in jars and covered with the
best quality vinegar for a few days. The vinegar is then drawn off as
needed. In France, the famous vinegar of Maille is made in this way.
The leaves may be dried in the usual way if desired. For this purpose
they are gathered in midsummer. A second cutting may be made in late
September or early October. Tarragon oil, which is used for perfuming
toilet articles, is secured by distilling the green parts, from 300 to
500 pounds of which yield one pound of oil.
[Illustration: Thyme for Sausage]
=Thyme= (_Thymus vulgaris_, Linn.), a very diminutive perennial shrub, of
the natural order Labiatæ, native of dry, stony places on Mediterranean
coasts, but found occasionally naturalized as an escape from gardens in
civilized countries, both warm and cold. From early days it has been
popularly grown for culinary purposes. The name is from the Greek word
_thyo_, or sacrifice, because of its use as incense to perfume the
temples. With the Romans it was very popular both in cookery and as a
bee forage. Like its relatives sage and marjoram, it has practically
disappeared from medicine, though formerly it was very popular because
of its reputed properties.
_Description._--The procumbent, branched, slender, woody stems, which
seldom reach 12 inches, bear oblong, triangular, tapering leaves from
1/4 to 1/2 inch long, green above and gray beneath. In the axils of the
upper leaves are little pink or lilac flowers, which form whorls and
loose, leafy spikes. The seeds, of which there are 170,000 to the ounce,
and 24 ounces to the quart, retain their germinating power for three
years.
_Cultivation._--Thyme does best in a rather dry, moderately fertile,
light soil well exposed to the sun. Cuttings, layers and divisions may
be made, but the popular way to propagate is by seed. Because the seed
is very small, it should be sown very shallow or only pressed upon the
surface and then sprinkled with finely sifted soil. A small seedbed
should be used in preference to sowing in the open ground first, because
better attention can be given such little beds; second, because the area
where the plants are ultimately to be can be used for an early-maturing
crop. In the seedbed made out of doors in early spring, the drills may
be made 4 to 6 inches apart and the seeds sown at the rate of 5 or 6 to
the inch. A pound should produce enough plants for an acre. In hand
sowing direct in the field, a fine dry sand is often thoroughly mixed
with the seed to prevent too close planting. The proportion chosen is
sometimes as great as four times as much sand as seed. Whether sown
direct in the field or transplanted the plants should finally not stand
closer than 8 inches--10 is preferred. When first set they may be half
this distance. In a small way one plant to the square foot is a good
rate to follow. The young plants may be set in the field during June, or
even as late as July, preferably just before or just after a shower. The
alternate plants may be removed in late August or early September, the
alternate rows about three weeks later and the final crop in October.
Thyme will winter well. In home garden practice it may be treated like
sage. In the coldest climates it may be mulched with leaves or litter to
prevent undue thawing and freezing and consequent heaving of the soil.
In the spring the plants should be dug, divided and reset in a new
situation.
When seed is desired, the ripening tops must be cut frequently, because
the plants mature very unevenly. But this method is often more wasteful
than spreading cloths or sheets of paper beneath the plants and allowing
the seed to drop in them as it ripens. Twice a day, preferably about
noon, and in the late afternoon the plants should be gently jarred to
make the ripe seeds fall into the sheets. What falls should then be
collected and spread in a warm, airy room to dry thoroughly. When this
method is practiced the stems are cut finally; that is, when the bulk of
the seed has been gathered. They are dried, threshed or rubbed and the
trash removed, by sifting. During damp weather the seed will not
separate readily from the plants.
Of the common thyme there are two varieties: narrow-leaved and
broad-leaved. The former, which has small grayish-green leaves, is more
aromatic and pleasing than the latter, which, however, is much more
popular, mainly because of its size, and not because of its superiority
to the narrow-leaved kind. It is also known as winter or German thyme.
The plant is taller and larger and has bigger leaves, flowers and seeds
than the narrow-leaved variety and is decidedly more bitter.
_Uses._--The green parts, either fresh, dried or in decoction, are used
very extensively for flavoring soups, gravies, stews, sauces,
forcemeats, sausages, dressings, etc. For drying, the tender stems are
gathered after the dew is off and exposed to warm air in the shade. When
crisp they are rubbed, the trash removed and the powder placed in
stoppered bottles or tins. All parts of the plant are fragrant because
of the volatile oil, which is commercially distilled mainly in France.
About one per cent of the green parts is oil, which after distillation
is at first a reddish-brown fluid. It loses its color on redistillation
and becomes slightly less fragrant. Both grades of oil are used
commercially in perfumery. In the oil are also crystals (thymol), which
resemble camphor and because of their pleasant odor are used as a
disinfectant where the strong-smelling carbolic acid would be
objectionable.
Besides common thyme two other related species are cultivated to some
extent for culinary purposes. Lemon thyme (_T. citriodorus_, Pers.),
like its common relative, is a little undershrub, with procumbent stems
and with a particularly pleasing fragrance. Wild thyme, or
mother-of-thyme (_T. serpyllum_, Linn.), is a less grown perennial, with
violet or pink flowers. It is occasionally seen in country home gardens,
and is also used somewhat for seasoning.
INDEX
Page
Angelica, 56
candied, 59
Anise, 59
in Bible, 13
Bags of herbs, 6
Balm, 63
demand for, 20
Barrel of herbs, 8
Basil, 65
demand for, 20
tree, 68
Bible, herbs mentioned in, 12
Borage, 71
Bouquet of herbs, 6
Bride's trousseau, 7
Caraway, 73
Catnip, 77
Chervil, 79
Chives, 80
Clary, 81
Cleveland, John, quoted, 101
Coriander, 82
Cultivation, 47
Cumin, 84
in Bible, 13
Curing, 22
Cuttings, propagation by, 34
Dibbles tabooed, 42
Dill, 87
demand for, 21
for pickles, 21
Dinner of herbs, 7
Division, propagation by, 37
Double cropping, 48
Drying, 25
Drying seeds, 28
Eggs, stuffed, 9
Evaporator, 26
Fennel, 89
demand for, 20
Florence, 93
Fennel Flower, 94
Finocchio, 93
Garnishes, 19, 30
Herb history, 12
History of herbs, 12
Hoarhound, 95
Hyssop, 96
Ingelow, Jean quoted, 101
Lavender, 97
and linen, 7
Layers, propagation by, 36
Lovage, 99
Lunch, herb, 8
MacDonald, George, quoted, 72
Marigold, 100
Marjoram, 101
demand for, 20
Market gardening, herb, 14
Medicine, herbs in, 53
Mint, 105
demand for, 21
in Bible, 13
Moschus quoted, 109
Moving pictures, 4
Omelette, herb, 9
Packages for selling, 14