Thym. Thymian.

No. 1532. - There are two species of Thyme cultivated for culinary purposes: the Common Garden, and the Lemon or Evergreen Thyme, both of which are hardy perennial plants, having a shrubby character and a comparatively long growth. The leaves have an agreeable, aromatic taste, and are used for flavoring soups, stuffings and sauces. They should be used with moderation, as too much imparts a bitter taste to the substance.

Culture

No. 1533. - They are propagated from seeds, or by dividing the roots; but the finest plants are produced from seeds. Sow them in April, in shallow drills twelve inches apart. They should be thinned out to eight inches apart, and all weeds should be carefully removed. They maybe cut for use as soon as they have made sufficient growth; but for drying, the stalks are gathered as they come into flower.

Broad-Leaved Thyme

No. 1534. - This is the favorite variety. The stem is shrubby, of a brownish color, and much branched. The leaves are small, green above and whitish beneath.

Narrow-Leaved Thyme

No. 1535. - The leaves are long, narrow and sharply pointed.

Lemon Thyme

No. 1536. - This is a low green shrub, with a somewhat trailing stem. It is distinguished from the other varieties by the soft, pleasant, lemon-like odor of the young shoots and leaves.

Article CCXIV

Tomato

Tomate. Liebesapfel.

No. 1537. - The Tomato is a half-hardy annual plant, originally from South America. It is very extensively used in the United States, being served on the table the entire year in different forms, and is one of the most healthful and best of all garden vegetables.. The plant, when full grown, is about eight feet high, with a branch-ing irregular recumbent stem and dense foliage. The fruit is red, white or yellow, and is exceedingly variable in size as well as form. The varieties are numerous, few of them appearing to be distinct or permanent. Much depends on the cultivation and the temperature of the soil.

Culture

No. 1538. - The Tomato is raised from seed and succeeds best in light warm and not over rich soil. Success depends on securing a rapid, vigorous, unchecked growth during the early part of the season. Sow it in hot beds during March, or from six to eight weeks before they can be set out of doors. When the plants have four leaves transplant them into shallow boxes, setting them five inches apart. Give them plenty of air and endeavor to secure a vigorous but steady and healthful growth, so that, at the time of setting them in the open ground, they will be strong and stocky and about as broad as they are high. A slight check, while the plants are young, will materially diminish their productiveness. Set them out of doors as soon as danger from severe frost is over, but before doing so harden off the plants by gradually exposing them to the night air and by the withdrawal of water until the wood becomes hard and the leaves thick and of a dark green color. Transplant them carefully and cultivate well as long as the vines will permit. The fruit is improved in quality if the vines are tied to a trellis or to stakes. Sufficient plants for the garden of a small family may be started with little trouble by sowing a few seeds about the middle of March in a garden box or large flower pot and placing it in a sunny window of the kitchen. Transplant them in the open ground as soon as the weather will permit and the plant is strong enough.

To have an extra large and beautiful Tomato, as soon as a cluste.r of flowers is visible top the stems down to the cluster, so that the flowers terminate the stem. The effect is that the sap is immediately impelled into the two buds next below the cluster, which soon push strongly and produce another cluster of flowers each. When these are visible the branch on which they belong is also topped down to their level, and this is done five times successively. By this means the plants become stout dwarf bushes about eighteen inches high. In order to prevent their falling over, sticks or strings are stretched horizontally along the rows so as to keep the plants erect. In addition to this all laterals whatsoever are nipped off. In this way the ripe sap is directed into the fruit, which acquires a beauty, size and excellence that is unattainable by other means.