MY HERB GARDEN

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 270, 13 November 1937, Page 9 (Supplement)

MY HERB GARDEN

And lavender, whose splkea o* azure Shall be, erewhlle, In arid bundles bound . . . , To lurk amidst the labours of her loom, ... And crown her 'kerchiefs dean with mlckle rare perfume.

NO garden is complete which has not e plot allotted for herbs, for they ere always useful, and one can rely upon obtaining them fresh, during their various seasons, and at Tery little expense after the first purchase of seeds and roots.

Parsley is in constant demand, both for garnishing and cookery. It in best cultivated by sowing seed in drills and transplanting when the plants are large enough to handle. Most pot herbs are almost as good for use when dried as when they are green, but this is not the case with parsley, which is infinitely better for all purposes when fresh.

Mint is one of the most useful culinary herbs, and can be easily propagated by dividing up the roots of old plants. These should be planted out in rows about eight inches apart. Mint likes to grow in a moist situation, where the land is not very strong Theroots will soon spread over the whole bed. It can he pulled on a fine day before the flowers appear and tied into email bunches for drying.

There are two varieties of thyme that are well worth growing, the golden and common. The golden is best propagated by dividing up come old plants. It thrives beet in a light, dry, sandy soil. The common variety can also be grown from old plants divided or cuttings or by sowing seed in shallow drills, and, when the seedlings are larpe enough, thinning them out about eight inches apart. They should be gathered for drying as soon as they come into flower.

There arc other pot herbs, such as basil, chervil, fennel, marjoram, sage, savory, tarragon, etc., all of which can be cultivated in small patches for general use. The following are produced from seed: Basil, fennel, sweet marjoram. Sage and tarragon are propagated by dividing up old plants.

All herbs should be gathered early in the day, as soon as the dew is off, and in fine weather. With annuals the whole plant should be pulled up and cleaned from all dirt and dust, the roots cut off, separated into small bunches, and dried in the sun or by the heat of a stove. The process of drying them should be done as speedily as possible. When perfectly dry, they should be put into glass bottles and kept well stoppered until required. In most cases it is advisable to pick out the woody stems, rub the other to a powder and bottle this for further use.