Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale)

445. Importance

The wild dandelion is frequently used as greens, but the leaves are much inferior to those of cultivated varieties, which are larger and often cut or frilled. The most common use of the leaves is for greens, although when blanched with soil they are valuable for salads. The frilled forms make attractive garnishes. The plants are grown in many private gardens and some commercial growers have found small areas very profitable.

446. Culture

A deep, rich soil is required to grow large leaves. It should be prepared as soon as possible in the spring and the seed sown at once in shallow drills a foot or more apart, depending upon the method of cultivation. The plants should be thinned to at least 6 inches in the row, and more space is favorable to large leaves. Several cuttings may be made, but the first is always the finest. Some growers plow and start some other crop after harvesting one lot of leaves. The plants are often held over winter, when very early cuttings may be made the following spring. Top dressings of nitrate of soda are valuable for this crop.

Dill (Anethum Graveolens)

447. Culture

Dill is one of the many herbs used for flavoring. The seed is especially popular in the flavoring of pickles. It should be sown thinly, about 1/2 inch deep, early in the spring in rows a foot or more apart and thinned to 6 or 8 inches.