Artemisia dracuncu-lus. Use it in salads to correct the coldness of the other herbs; and its leaves are likewise excellent when pickled.

Soil And Situation

It will flourish in any that are poor and bleak. Indeed, a poor dry earth is essential to produce it in perfection as to flavour, and hardy.

Propagation by parting the roots, slips, and cuttings; as also by seed to be sown in the spring, but this mode is attended with much trouble. To have green Tarragon during the winter and spring, strong-rooted plants must be planted, small portions at a time, once or twice a month, from the close of October to the end of January. For the main crop, it may be planted any time from the end of February until the conclusion of May; and by cuttings of the young stalks, from the close of June until the same period of August; this last mode is not often adopted, on account of the uncertainty attending the rooting of the cuttings.

Cultivation

The plants must be at least ten inches apart; and if dry weather, especially in the summer months, water must be given regularly every evening until they are rooted. They soon establish themselves, and may be gathered from the same year. As they run up, if seed is not required, the stems should be cut down, which causes them to shoot afresh. The only additional cultivation required is to keep them free from weeds.

At the end of autumn, if some established plants are set beneath a south fence, they will often afford leaves throughout the winter, or, at all events, come early in the spring. Some of the leaves should be gathered in the summer, and dried for winter's use.

To obtain Seed, it is only necessary to allow it to run up without molestation. It flowers about July, and when the seed is ripe, in early autumn, must be cut, and completely dried before it is beaten out.