Costmary.
428. Costmary, or 41e-cost, (Balsamita vulgaris, Hort. Kew. : Tanacetum Balsamita, L. ; Syngenesia Polygamia rqualis; Corymbifera, Juss.) is a native of Spain, Italy, and the south of France : it is however a hardy perennial, and has been cultivated in our gardens from the earliest times. The lower leaves arc large, ovate, of a greyish colour, and on long footstalks ; the stems rise two or three feet high ; they are furnished with leaves of the same shape, but smaller and sessile. The flowers are of a deep yellow colour, and appear in loose corymbs in August and Sep tember ; in indifferent seasons or in cold situations, they scarcely expand, and the seeds very seldom come to ma turity in this country. The whole plant has a pleasant odour. Costmary was formerly more used in the kitchen than it is at present. In France it is an ingredient in salads. It was also put into ale, and hence the name Ale-cost. The other name, cost-Mary, intimates that it is the costus or aromatic plant of the Virgin. A few plants are enough in a garden. They do best in a dry soil, and will remain good for several years. It is readily propa gated by parting the roots in autumn. There is a variety with deeply cut and very hoary leaves, but this sort is less fragrant.
Hyssop.
429. Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis, L.; Didynamia Gym nospermia ; Labiate, Juss.) is a perennial evergreen un der shrub, a native of the south of Europe, and has been long cultivated in our gardens. The stems rise a foot and a half high ; the leaves are lanceolate, narrow like those of lavender, but shorter. There are several varieties, blue, red, and white flowered, and hairy leaved ; but the first is the most commonly cultivated. The whole plant has a strong aromatic scent. The leaves and young shoots are sometimes used for culinary purposes, in the way of a pot herb; and the leafy tops and flower-spikes are cut, dried, and preserved for mcdicinal uses. It is sometimes plant ed as an edging in the kitchen garden, the plants being set Only about ten inches distant from each other : in a separ ate bed, they should be two feet asunder. It may be pro pagated by seeds, by mooted slips, or by cuttings, in the spring months. In a poor dry soil it is not only more hardy, but more aromatic, than in a rich soil. It often grows on old walls ; but the " hyssop that springeth out of the wall" of Solomon, is supposed by Hasselquist to have been a small moss, which he observed covering the ruins of Jerusalem.
Ruc.
430. Rue (Rota graveolens, L. ; Decandria Monogynia ; Rutacece, Juss.) is a perennial evergreen undershrub, a na tive of the south of Europe. it was early cultivated in our gardens, and was in former days called Herb of Grace, from the circumstance of small bunches of it having been used by the priests for the sprinkling of holy water among the people. There is a tall growing and a small kind ; the latter is now chiefly cultivated. Formerly border edgings were frequently made with it ; but it is now seldom em ployed for that purpose. It ought, however, to be occa sionally pruned down, and kept from flowering too much ; in this way it continues in a fresh bushy state for a number of years. It is easily propagated by slips or cuttings in the spring ; and a few plants are generally thought sufficient in a garden. Like rosemary, lavender, hyssop, and other similar aromatics, it does best in poor dry soils. The leaves are sometimes used as a medicine, and often given to poul try afflicted with croup.
Chamomile.
431. Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis, L. ; Syngenesia Poly gamia supeillua ; Corymbiferx, Juss.) is a well known pe rennial plant, which grows naturally in Surrey, Cornwall, and some other parts of Britain, and is figured in English Botany, t. 980. Few gardens are without a chamomile bed : it is certainly a highly aromatic plant, and an infusion of the dried flowers makes a safe bitter and stomachic, much used under the name of Chamomile-tea. The dou ble-flowering variety is ornamental, and is generally kept in gardens; but the single-flowered sort is preferable for use ; the useful principle not residing in the flosculcs of the ray, which are multiplied in the double flower. The flowers are gathered when in their prime, dried slowly in the shade, and preserved in paper bags till wanted. The plant is easily propagated by slips or rooted shoots in the spring mouths. It delights in a poor soil : the plants may be placed ten inches or a foot apart, and should be watered in dry weather till they be established. It is sometimes em ployed to form rustic green seats, and it answers very well, if the seats be not very much used.