Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-07-25

and savory herbs. French cooking
is noted for its fine flavor, and this
is largely because French cooks excel
| in the skillful use of herbs.
The United States department of
agriculture is encouraging women and
girls who are members of clubs or
ganiZed by extension workers to grow
more savory herbs. Not only is the
daily diet varied by the use of pot
herbs" but in nearly all communities
the surplus is easily marketed.
Selecting and Preparing Soil.
Herbs usually occupy the same
ground for some years, and should be
conveniently located in one corner or
! at one side of the regular garden. 1t
is good plan to apply quantity of
well-rotted manure to the soil in the
autumn and spade it in deeply. If
the soil can be trenched or broken
two spadngs in depth. all the better.
as this will break up the subsoil and
give the roots more space for devel-
Opment.
One good method is to mark Off
set. then remove the top soil and
place it to one side; two or three
inches of manure is then spread in
the furrow and spaded into the sub
soil The top soil is then returned
and allowed to settle few days be-
! fore the plants are set out. One of
the main things to consider is plac-
n a n q
plants together in one row or corner
where they will not be disturbed.
The biennials may be placed next. and
the ANIMALS in a collection by them
selves.
The general cultural methods are
practically the same for all-good
clean cultivation during the summer,
and a mulch of leaves, straw or ma
nure around the plants during the
winter The mulch protects them
from winter-killing, and at the same
time adds fertility for next seasons
growth.
Sage, taragon, mint anise. cara
way and dill are the herbs found most
often on the markets, but in growing
for commercial purposes it is best to
learn first what particular herbs are
most in demand in the locality.
Anise is an annual and the seeds
do not retain their vitality after the
second year. so they should be strict
" fresh when planted. The seeds
should be sown indoors and the
young plants transplanted. They
may also be sown in the open ground
and thinned IL to IA inches apart in
the row. The plants grow to height
of about two feet. The seeds are
borne in heads which should be cut
from the plants when the seeds are
nearly ripe. The heads may be tied
in punches and hung up to dry or
they may be spread loosely upon a
wire-bottom tray and kept in a shady
place until dry. The seeds are re-
moved from the heads by rubbing
them with the hands and then sepa-
| rating them from the chaff and pieces
of broken stem. The seeds of anise
are used for flavoring, especially in
cookies. and for sprinkling over cakes
when sugar or frosting is used.
Caraway seeds are usually planted
in the garden. but should be sown
early in the spring. The plants
should be thinned to about Is or 10
inches in the row. Sometimes seeds
are produced the first season but
more often not until the second sea-
son. The seeds are used for flavor
ing bread and pastry. The seeds are
saved in the same way as those Of
anise. Caravan is likely to become
weed if allowed to ripen its seeds and
run wild.
The culture and the uses of dill
are very much the same as those for
caraway. The leaves are also used
for fiavoring soups. The tender
leaves and stems, together with the
seed heads. are dried and used for
fiavoring cucumber pickles. making
the famous commercial dill" pickles.
For home use watermelon rind and
chayotes. when treated with brine
and dill. make an excellent pickle.
Sage is one of the oldest and most
common of the garden herbs. The
plants live for several years If pro
tected from extreme cold. and are
most easily started by taking rooted
offshoOts from the side of an old
plant. In rich soil the plants grow
to a great size. three and four feet
across. For this reason they should
be given plenty of space. One plant
will usually produce all the sage re-
quired by a family. The broad
leaved variety is commonly grown.
Two or three cuttings of the
young, tender shoots can be made
during the season. AS rule, the
tender tips of the branches are cut
about four inches in length and tied
in small punches to dry. Sage is
used especially for favoring pork
sausage and in dressings for poultry
Two varieties of mint are often
grown. Peppermint is used in large
quantities for the manufacture OF
peppermint oil and to some extent
for fiavoring. The kind most com
monty grown in gardens, however, is
that known as spearmint. the young
and tender leaves of which are eX-
tensiyely used for making mint sauce