Use.—The leaves are sometimes employed for garnishing; but are generally blanched, and served as Celery.
Sowing and Cultivation.—The plants are started in a hot-bed in March, or the seeds may be sown in a seed-bed in the open ground in May. When the seedlings are four or five inches high, transplant to trenches two feet apart and six or eight inches deep, setting the plants a foot apart in the trenches; afterwards gather the earth gradually about the stems, in the process of cultivation; and, when they are sufficiently grown and blanched, harvest and preserve as Celery.
To raise Seeds.—Leave two or three plants unblanched. They should be eighteen inches asunder, and may remain in the open ground during winter. They will flower, and yield a plentiful supply of seeds, the following summer.
PEPPERMINT.
Mentha piperita.
Peppermint is a hardy, perennial plant, introduced from Europe, and growing naturally in considerable abundance along the banks of small streams, and in rich, wet localities. Where once established, it spreads rapidly, and will remain a long period.
Stem smooth, erect, four-sided, and from two to three feet in height; leaves opposite, ovate, pointed, toothed on the margin; flowers purplish, or violet-blue, in terminal spikes; the seeds are small, brown, or blackish-brown, and retain their vitality four years.
Propagation and Culture.—It may be grown from seeds; but this method of propagation is rarely practised, as it is more readily increased by dividing the roots.
The agreeable odor, and peculiar, warm, pleasant flavor, of the leaves are well known. The plant, however, is little used as a pot-herb, but is principally cultivated for distillation. For the latter purpose, the ground is ploughed about the middle of May, and furrowed in one direction, as for drill-planting of potatoes; making the furrows about eighteen inches apart. The best roots for setting are those of a year's growth; and an acre of these will be required to plant ten acres anew. These are distributed along the furrows in a continuous line, and covered sometimes with the foot as the planter drops the roots, and sometimes by drawing the earth over them with a hoe. In about four weeks, the plants will be well established, and require hoeing and weeding; which is usually performed three times during the season, the cultivation being finished early in August.