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 hen 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.






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.



TTITLE Samphire



(Crithmum maritimum, Linn.), a European perennial of the

Umbelliferae, 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.





TTITLE Savory Summer



(Satureia hortensis, Linn.), a little annual plant of

the natural order Labiatae 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