es to climb,
And more I fain would sing, disdaining here to rhyme.
SHENSTONE.

It is very important to know when the various seasons commence for
picking sweet and savory herbs for drying. Care should be taken that
they are gathered on a dry day, by which means they will have a better
color when dried. Cleanse them well from dirt and dust, cut off the
roots, separate the bunches into smaller ones, and dry them by the heat
of the stove, or in a Dutch oven before a common fire, in such
quantities at a time, that the process may be speedily finished, _i. e._
"Kill 'em quick," says a great botanist; by this means their flavor will
be best preserved. There can be no doubt of the propriety of drying,
&c., hastily by the aid of artificial heat, rather than by the heat of
the sun. In the application of artificial heat, the only caution
requisite is to avoid burning; and of this a sufficient test is afforded
by the preservation of the color. The best method to preserve the flavor
of aromatic plants is to pick off the leaves as soon as they are dried,
and to pound them, and put them through a hair sieve, and keep them in
well-stopped bottles labelled.

PICKLES.

MANGOES.

What lord of old would bid his cook prepare
_Mangoes_, potargo, champignons, caviare!
KING.

There is a particular sort of melon for this purpose. Cut a square small
piece out of one side, and through that take out the seeds, mix with
them mustard seeds and shred garlic, stuff the melon as full as the
space will allow, and replace the square piece. Bind it up with small
new pack-thread. Boil a good quantity of vinegar, to allow for wasting,
with peppers, salt, ginger, and pour it boiling over the mangoes, four
successive days; the last day put flour of mustard and scraped
horseradish into the vinegar just as it boils up. Observe that there is
plenty of vinegar. All pickles are spoiled, if not well covered.

PICKLED CABBAGE.

Lives in a cell, and eats from week to week
A meal of _pickled cabbage_ and ox cheek.
CAWTHORNE.

Choose two middling-sized, well-colored and firm red cabbages, shred
them very finely, first pulling off the outside leaves; mix with them
nearly half a pound of salt; tie it up in a thin cloth, and let it hang
for twelve hours; then put it into small jars, and pour over it cold
vinegar that has been boiled with a few barberries in it. Boil in