New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-14
LEGENDS OF HERBS.
ROSEMARY WAS THE FAvoR1TE FOR
CENTURIES.


SOME OF THE USES THAT THESE PLANTS MAY BID
PUT To-oLD sUPbRsTIr1oNs ABOUT
MANY OF THEM
IAN herb garden sounds old-fashoned." says
Rosallnd Northcote in recent Issue OF THE Sum
Chldrens Budget" Its chief point is gone. now
that the ladies' Of the manor longer prepare
syrups and simples from their own plants. Never
theless herbs are interesting from other than a
medical point OF view. and II is curious why they
should have fallen into such neglect.
Some good both and smell Red Bersa-
mot, for instance. whose tall crimson flowers and
fragrant leaves should have retained a greater pop
ulary. True in some localities they are constd-
cred unlucky, and likely 10 cause illness.
"Other herbs have been favorites not only for
physical. but civil. purposes, as Culpepper re-
marks In reference 70 tho rosemary. mar1nus
dew Of the sea which herb has indeed been cello
brated for centuries. The ancents burned II IN
sick-rooms, and the Romans decked their house
hold gods with It's boughs. In England rosemary.
dipped in scented water gilded. was carried at
weddings Yet many folk associate this herb chief
~ with thoughts OF death. owing TO the custom of
carrying sprigs at funerals and planting rosemary
on graves. For physical purposes rosemary was
esteemed a comforter Of the BRAIN and recipe
Of the once-famed Queen of Hungarys water
made Of the flowers distilled with spirits OF wine
WAS given as late as 1914 in 'Thorntons Herbal
published In that year.
Il refrain from quoting a spell. In which
rosemary is involved TO be employed by any maiden
DESTROYS of knowing her future:
Take a sprlg OF rosemary a white rose, q red
rose a blue flower. yellow flower. nine blades Of
grass and sprg OF rue. bind these together with
a lock of the maiden's hair sprinkle with salt
and the blood Of a white pigeon and lay beneath
the maiden's head when she sleeps. and her dreams
Will portend her fate.
Mint is another well-known herb, and has a
classical origin for Proserpine In nj OF Jealousy,
Was once called 'fierba Bona and is dedicated to
they pass plant In the belief that this will bring
them help at the day Of their death
proverbs. legends and supersttions attaching 10
the commonest herbs. and 1t is even difficult to
know which TO mention.
Lavender. perhaps. has as good claim any
for modern fashion has not yet prescribed laying
lavendar among linen.
LAS 10 the herbs used In salads soups and cook
cry generally they few indeed compared with
what required not 80 very long ago. II an OLD
gardening list may be trusted. In a gardeners cal
endar. compiled at the beginning Of this century,
they appear under seven headings:
"Oleraceous. salad or acetarious pot herbs, sweet
The OleraceOus plants are those OF when the leaves
are aten boiled. such as spinach white beet ana
forty-four different plants or dlHcrent KINDS. 10
pot or garnishing HERDS count sweet cicely mari
Colds and seafower among their number and the
sweet herbs include, OF course, various thyInes
These. added to the herbs under the three last
headings form goodly list. and It seems pity
that many Of them should have gone almost out
OF cultivation for practical well sentimental
reasons for the old prOverD. variety Is charming,
Is ant to be forgotten by both gardener and cook.
White orach or fat hen and patience dock and
Good King Henry might make an agreeaple
change from caunowers and Brussels sprouts. and
II should be remembered that lettuce By Itself does
not make perfect salad
Attempts at making conserves and corrections
from old recipes. though having all the charm o.
uncertain results prove frequently-I speak from
experience-in fulhlment, excellent"