A GARDEN OF HERBS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23114, 13 February 1937, Page 7

A GARDEN OF HERBS

DRYING AND STORING The herb-drying season is fast approaching, and from now on a careful watch must be kept to see that none of the various kinds is allowed to pass its best before gathering. It is a great mistake to allow them to do so, for the result is inevitably the loss of the greater part of their flavouring virtues. Each variety must be dealt with individually, and cut just before the flowers open. It is a mistake to let them get beyond this stage, and to allow the plants to go to seed is disastrous. In every case the herbs must be absolutely dry when cut. Very often one sees herbs collected into bunches, tied together, and hung up to dry. This procedure is a great mistake. There must be some moisture in the leaves, and there is also the natural sap. As a result, bunched herbs while drying will ferment to a certain extent. This, in its turn, will result in discoloration and considerable destruction of their valuable properlies. In bad cases mould or decay sets in. / Many people, too, spread herbs to dry in the sun, and some even put them into a hot oven. Again, conseouences are disastrous. Loss of the Beautiful green colouring, which, under the process, turns brown and dingy, is certain—and, further, there is loss of quality, for herbs treated in this way, not only lose flavour, but have a peculiar odour imparted to them. HOW TO DRY Drying should take place in an open outhouse or any airy room, where there is the available space to stretch some thin, clean material, such as muslin or tiffany cloth. Fix it up to supports, so that the air may circulate over and under it, and on this spread the herbs, turning them every day. When perfectly dry, store them in white paper bags, and hang where there is no danger of damp. Dried in this fashion, herbs for flavouring purposes will be practically equal to fresh ones. Amongst the most valuable and popular of seasoning herbs must be included mint, so useful in mint sauce, in soups, and when boiling green peas and other vegetables. Sage, used in stuffings and in sauce . making; purslane for pickling and in salads; fennel, used for garnishing and in fish sauces; sorrel, valuable in salads, sauces, and soups; marjoram, an aromatic seasoning used in soups; and parsley, which is almost a daily need in the kitchen, is a valuable addition to soups, stews, sauces, stuffings, besides being in constant request for garnishings. KINDS FOR FRAGRANCES, ETC. There are many other herbs used for various purposes in the home, though, perhaps, not so much nowadays when the chemist's shop is so easy of access as of yore. Mention may be made of lavender, probably the most prized to-day of this group; it should be gathered when the first flowers have opened to obtain the maximum of fragrance. Rosemary is pleasing, and so also hyssop; these were more appreciated when the household still was in vogue, and the lady of the house prepared her own essences and essential oils. Rue for " tea" is still used as a medicinal herb. Two herbs fragrant in a dried state that should be better known to-day are sweet woodruff and sweet melitot; the latter is common wild, but both impart a pleasing fragrance to the linen cupboard if laid amongst the sheets, etc. Though not a herb in the botanical sense, a bay tree should be grown somewhere in the garden or shrubbery for a supply of fragrant leaves. If no bush exists, leaves can be gathered from that of a friend and preserved in a dried state.—Wild Rose, in Amateur Gardening.