i f h'
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i r é r é l í
4137. P ro p a g a tio n a n d cuU u r e - “ It Is raised by seed, by slips, and cuttings of th e branches, and by
slips of th e root and top together. It likes a dry or sandy soil. When it is propagated by seed, sow in
March or April a small portion, either broadcast and raked In, or in small drills, 6 in. apart. The plants
may mostly be transplanted into final beds in June or July, 9 in. apart, or some may be planted as an
ed g in g ; or you may also sow some seed for an edging, to remain where sown. Give th e edgings occasional
trimming, in their established g row th ; cuttmg away also any decayed flower-spikes in autumn.
You may take rooted offsets from established plants in March, April, August, or September ; cuttings
from the stalks in April and May ; also rootless slips of the young shoots •“ ^ t , . . « .
shade for a time, or plant in a shady border. If for culinary purposes, th«
’ 7sic-in. or 2 ft. Wa ter a t planting, and
June or July. After May,
the distance from plant to plant
’ twice or may be 9 in. ; in the physic-garden, 18 ii thrice a week in dry
weather till rooted.” {Abei-crombie.)
S u b s e c t . 9. Chamomile.—A'nthemis nóbilis L . (Eng. Bot. 980.)-, Syngen. Bolygàmia
Super. L. and Compôsitæ J. Camomille, Fr. ; Kamille, Ger. ; and Camomilla, Ital.
4138. The chamomile is a hardy perennial, which grows wild in various pai'ts of
England in gravelly pastiges, and by roadsides. The whole plant is bitter and
higlily aromatic.
41.39. Use. It is cultivated on account of the flower, which is a safe b itte r and stomachic, and much
used under the name of chamomile tea. The double-flowering variety, though more beautiful than the
single-flowered, is less useful ; the aromatic principle not residing in the floscules o fth e ray, the multi-
plication of which constitutes the double flower. T h e double sort, however, is most cultivated by
growers for the market, on account of its greater bulk and weight.
4140. Vai'ieties. These are the common single, and the double-flowered.
4141. Soil a n d c u ltu r e . This herb delights in a poor sandy soil. “ Both kinds are propagated by
parting the roots, or by slips of the rooted offsets, or o fth e runners. Detach them with roots, in little
tufty sets, in March, April, or May ; and plant them from 8 in . to 12 in. asunder, giving water ; repeat
watering occasionally till they root ; they will soon overspread the bed, and produce plenty of flowers
th e same year in July and August, and continue several years productive.”
4142. T a k in g the c rop. “ The flowers should be gathered in their prime, in June or July, ju s t when
full-bloivn. L e t them be spread to dry in a shady place ; then put them in paper bags, and house them
for use.” {A be rc rombie .)
S u b s e c t . 10 . Elecampane.—I'nula He/èmum X. (Eng. Bot. t. 1546.); Syng. Polyg.
Super. L. and Compôsitæ J. Inule, Fr. and Ger. ; Alant, Dutch ; and Inulo, Ital.
4143. The elecampane is a perennial plant, found in moist pastui'es in the south of
England, and one of the largest herbaceous plants wc have, rising from 3 ft. to 5 ft.
liigh. The root is thick, ftisiforra, and aromatic, and was formerly in great repute, and
the plant was cultivated in village gardens tlu'oughout Europe. In private gardens the
plant still keeps its place iu the physic-herb corner.
4144. Use. In France and Germany, th e root is candied, and used as a stomachic, for strengthening
th e tone of the viscera in general. As a medicinal plant, it possesses the general virtues of alexi-
pharmics.
4145. Cu llu re . It is propagated by offsets in autumn, after th e plan t has done flowering; these, if
planted in a deep soil, ra th e r moist, or in a shady situation, will be fit for use the end of the second year.
Boots o f this age are said to be preferable to those of older plants.
S u b s e c t . 1 1 . Liquorice.— Liquiritia officinàlis Moen., (jlycyrrlúza glabra L. (Lam.
III. t. 625. f. 2.) ; Diadél. Decán. L. and Leguminosæ J. Réglisse, Fi'. ; Süssholz,
Ger. ; Zoe thout, Dutch ; Regolizia, Ital. ; and Regaliz, Span.
4146. The liquorice is a hardy perennial plant, a native of the south of .Eiu'ope, and
introduced into this country in 1562. The roots run very deep into the 'ground, and
creep to a considerable distance, sending up strong herbaceous stalks, 4 ft. or 5 ft. high.
Stowe informs us that the planting and gTowing of licorish began about the first yeai-
of Queen Elizabeth.
4147. Use. It is cultivated on a large scale for the brewers and druggists, and in gardens for the
saccharine juice obtained from th e root by decoction, and used as an emollient in colds, fevers, &c.
4148. P ro p a g a tio n a n d c u ltu r e . “ Liquorice is propagated by cuttings of th e roots. On account of
th e depth to which the root strikes, when the plant has room to flourish, th e soil should have a good
staple of mould 30in . or 3 ft. in depth. Taking the small horizontal roots of established plants, cut
them into sections 6 in. long ; having traced out rows a yard asunder, plant th e sets along each row at
intervals of 18 in., covering them entirely with mould. F or th e flrst year, you may cultivate a light
crop of lettuce or onions between the rows. During the summer, keep th e plot clear from weeds : and
when the subordinate crop comes off, hoe and dress th e ground. At the close of autumn, or as a winter
dressing, fork or dig between the rows, to stir and refresh th e surface : and cut down th e decayed
stems.”
4149. T a k in g th e c rop. “ After three or four years’ growth, th e main roots will be of a mature size,
and fit for consumption or the market. In th e course of th e following winter, begin to dig them up,
opening a trench close to the first row, as deep as th e roots ; then, with the spade, tu rn out all the roots
clean to the bottom ; so proceed from trench to trench, and prepare th e ground for some other cron ”
{A b e rc rom b ie .) ‘
S u b s e c t . 12 . Wormwood.— Artemisia. AbsinthiumL. (E n g . B o t 1230.); Syng. Polyg.
Super. L. and Compôsitæ J. Absinthe, Fr. ; Wermuth, Ger. ; Alsem, Dutch ; A s senzio,
Ital. ; and Ajenjo, Span.
4150. The wormwood is a perennial plant, well known, and frequent in calcareous
commons and by roadsides in England. The whole plant is intensely bitter and
aromatic.
4161. Use.Use. T h e The seeds seeds are are used used as stomachics,as stomachics, and and th e th herb e herb was was formerly formerly much much emi employed as a i
fuge. The T!trtrt growth „„«...All of rtA'Alrtlrt this plant,wrt1rt»A Neill VTrtSll observes,rtV^ -OT “tl should _t. 1 . .be encouraged . in . ^ poultry .. walks,7 a vermi-
it being
found
beneficial to them. T h e distillers in Scotland sometimes employ It In place of hops, and for their use
small fields of it are occasionally sown.” , , aa , au . a j
4152. P ro p a g a tio n a n d c u ltu r e . By seed, cuttings, or dividing the root : th e latter is tne easiest mone,
and the future treatment may be the same as for rue or hyssop. The sea-wormwood {A . marítima), the
Roman {A . póntica), and the Tartarian {A . 6'antonica) are propagated chiefly by cuttings, and may be
treated like the common species.
Subsect. 13. Balm. — Melissa officinàlis L. ; Didyn. Gymnos. L. and Labiàtæ J.
Mélisse, Fr., Gcr., and Dutch ; and Melissa, Ital. and Span.
4153. The halm is a hardy perennial, a native of Switzerland and the south of France ;
it was introduced into this country in 1573.
4154. Use. It is now little used, unless for making asimple balm-tea, which affords a grateful diluent
drink in fevers, and for forming a light and agreeable beverage under th e name of balm wine.
41.55. P ro p a g a tio n . It is readily propagated by parting the roots, preserving two or three buds to each
piece, or by slips, either in autumn or spring.
4156 Cullure . Plant the slips or sets in any bed of common earth, by dibble or trowel, and from 8 m.
to I ft apart giving water, if dry weather. Those o fth e spring jilanting will soon grow freely for use
the same year ; and afterwards will increase by the root into large bunches of several years’ continuance,
furnishing annual supplies from March to September. ^ a, r r ,
41.57. D r ie d b a lm . Gather when coming into flower, and when th e leaves are perfectlv free from dew
or moisture ; then dry rapidly in the shade, or better in an oven ; and when cool, press the herbage into
packages, and wrap them up in white paper till wanted for use. Keep the packages dry and in a close
drawer.
Sect. XL Plants used as Preserves and Pickles.
4158. O f plants used as culinary preserves and pickles some ai'c tender annuals,
requiring to be reared to a certain stage of growth in hotbeds or stoves, as the capsicum
and love-apple ; otliers arc marine plants, as the siimphircs, more generally gathered wild
than ciütivatcd in the garden. The remainder are cliicfiy common garden-plants, used
also for other puiqioses, as the red cabbage, Indian cress, &c-. The whole occupy but a
few square yards of the largest kitchcn-gardcn; and, except the red cabbage, few of
them are seen in that of the cottager for the purposes of this section.
Subsect. 1 . Love-apple, or Tomato.-—Solànum Lycopérsicum T. ; Lycopérsicum escu-
léntnm Dunal. (Rumph. Amb. 5. t. 154. f. 1.) ; Pentán. Monog. L. and Solanàceoe J.
Tomate, Fr. ; Liebes Apfel, Gcr. ; Appeltjes des lie f de, Dutch ; Porno d’Oro, Ital. ; and
Tomates, Span.
4159. The love-apple is atender annual, a native of South America, and introffiicedin
1596. The fi'uit is smooth, compressed at both ends, and furrowed over the sides; it
varies in size, but seldom exceeds that of an ordinary golden pippin.
4160. Use. When ripe, the fruit, which has an acid flavour, is put into soups and sauces, and the
juice is preserved for winter use, like ketchup, as a general sauce for both meat and fish ; _it is also used
in confectionary, as a preserve ; and when green, as a pickle. Though a good deal used in England in
soups, and as a principal ingredient in a well known sauce for mutton ; yet our estimation and uses ot
th e fruit are nothing to those of the French and Italians, and especially the latter. Near Rome and
Naples, whole fields are covered with it, and scarcely a dinner is served up in which it does not in some
way or other form a part. Various receipts for making tomato sauce will be found in th e Ga rd en e r s
Magazine , vol. i. p. 353. ; and vol. vii. p. 698.
4161. Varie tie s. Those in general cultivation are —
The large, small, cherry, and pear-shaped red. | The large, and small, or cherry-shaped yellow.
4162. E s tim a te o f sorts. “ The first sort is in most estimation for domestic purposes, and should be
cultivated accordingly ; while a few plants of the other kinds may be raised for variety of the fruit.
4163. P ro p a g a tio n a n d c u ltu r e . The plants must be raised and forwarded in a hotbed, under glass,
from about the vernal equinox till May. Sow in any general hotbed about the end of March, or beginning
or middle of April : and as to quantity of seed, 1 oz. will produce sixty plants. _ As soon as the
plants are about 2 in. high, if they are immediately pricked into another hotbed, or into that where
raised, singly into small pots placed in th e hotbed, they will grow more stocky, and can be more success •
fuUv transplanted. About the middle or end of May, transplant them, each with a ball of earth into a
south border, to have the full sun, th a t the fruit may ripen in perfection. Some may be planted close
to a south wall, if vacant spaces can be had ; but as they draw the ground exceedmgly, do not set them
near choice fruit trees. Give w ater. During the first week or fortnight, if th e nights be cold, defend
them with hand-glasses, or by whelming a large garden-pot over each plant ; or transplant upon b o l^
of hot dung, earthed to 6in. depth, and cover with hand-glasses. \ \ hen they begin to nm, train them
to stakes, or, when planted near a wall or pales, nail up the branches. Some, instead qf training them
to stakes, allow them to spread over the surface of the soil, and to root into it like gourds or cucumbers
and find they produce equally abundant crops and larger fruit. {G a rd . M a g ., vol. viii. P- f ¿ )
situations they may be trained against a wall or paling in the horizontal manner from a single upright
stem ; this stem being grown to its full length in a pot. F or the details see Gard.
Towards the end of th e season it is desirable to remove such of the leaves as shade the npenmg truit,
in order that they may benefit from the direct influence of the sun. Some gardeners remove all the
leaves, but this is evidently a t variance with physiological principles. , a • au c. u i,,.
4164. Wilmot plants a t the foot of a bed sloping steeply to the south, and trams the
peffsinK them down. They frequently strike root a t the joints : he tops them as soon as their branches
ineTt, clears off all the lateral sh/ots, a¥d thins the leaves, by which the fruit is exposed and ripened.
In the tine season of 1818. each plant so treated produced, on an average, weight of ^
{ I lo r t T ra n s ., vol. iii. p. 346.) T h e fruit begins to ripen in August ; gathered m October, and, hungup
iu bunches in any dry apartment, it will continue good for use in November. to n,«
4165. U n rip e tomatoes, when they are full grown, may be ripened by placing them on shelves m the
hothouse. This is practised by Mr. M’M urtrie, who finds that, in three weeks or “
toes so trea ted acquire as fine a colour as if they had been ripened on the plant in the open air. {G a id .
^ Î f è G ^ r Y a v Î s S Y “ Gather some of the best ripe fruit in au tum n ; clear
cleanse it from th e pulp, and dry it thoroughly ; then put it up in papers or bags, for use next spring.
( dbe rv rombie .)
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