of the small globular,
almost black seeds, which retain their vitality about three years, are
required to weigh an ounce, and nearly 20 ounces to the quart.

_Cultivation._--Sage does best upon mellow well-drained soil of
moderate fertility. For cultivation on a large scale the soil should be
plowed deeply and allowed to remain in the rough furrows during the
winter, to be broken up as much as possible by the frost. In the spring
it should be fined for the crop. Sage is easily propagated by division,
layers and cuttings, but these ways are practiced on an extensive scale
only with the Holt's Mammoth variety, which produces no seed. For other
varieties seed is most popular. This is sown in drills at the rate of
two seeds to the inch and covered about 1/4 inch deep. At this rate and
in rows 15 inches apart about 8 pounds of seed will be needed to the
acre.

[Illustration: Sage, the Leading Herb for Duck and Goose Dressing]

Usually market gardeners prefer to grow sage as a second crop. They
therefore raise the plants in nursery beds. The seed is sown in very
early spring, not thicker than already mentioned, but in rows closer
together, 6 to 9 inches usually. From the start the seedlings are kept
clean cultivated and encouraged to grow stocky. By late May or early
June the first sowings of summer vegetables will have been marketed and
the ground ready for the sage. The ground is then put in good condition
and the sage seedlings transplanted 6 or 8 inches apart usually. Clean
cultivation is maintained until the sage has possession.

When the plants meet, usually during late August, the alternate ones are
cut, bunched and sold. At this time one plant should make a good bunch.
When the rows meet in mid-September, the alternate rows are marketed, a
plant then making about two bunches. By the middle of October the final
cutting may be started, when the remaining plants should be large enough
to make about three bunches each. This last cutting may continue well
into November without serious loss of lower leaves. If the plants are
not thinned, but are allowed to crowd, the lower leaves will turn yellow
and drop off, thus entailing loss.

For cultivation with hand-wheel hoes the plants in the rows should not
stand closer than 2 inches at first. As soon as they touch, each second
one should be removed and this process repeated till, when growing in a
commercial way, each alternate row has been removed. Finally, the plants
sho