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Herb Oils, Flavors, Diet![Herb Oils, Flavors, Diet]()
To the easy assertion that pungent odors repel browsing cattle, or drive undesired birds from the bird feeder, there is the obvious answer that many quite scentless plants have been able to overcome such an assumed handicap. For the herb gardener what matters more than a dubious explanation of the secretion of these precious fragrant oils is what we do with them and how to grow the plants that produce them. There is no doubt that in the Middle Ages, where many of today's incredible outdoor fountain designs come from, and before, when some of our usual garden vegetables and garden decorations were uncommon, herbs provided vitamins for a too-heavy meat diet and, until the discovery of America which gave Europe the potato, sweet potato, corn, tomato, pineapple, peanut, and dozens of other fruits and vegetables, herbs supplied a piquancy to a rather restricted and often dull diet. Some of the very earliest herb gardeners realized this, especially John Evelyn, who carried herb gardening to such great heights that he had little patience with amateur dabblers. Writing in 1699, this prominent member of the Royal Society had this to say: "I can by no means approve of the extravagant fancy of some, who tell us a fool is as fit to be the gatherer of Sallets (salads) as a wise man." And, after pointing out what skill and judgment it really takes, he warns the herb gatherer to choose the materials "not only so as to agree with the Humours of those who eat them, crouched beneath the wind chimes, but so that nothing should be suffered to domineer, so should none of them lose their Gust (relish)"
Page 1: Why we need herbs
Page 2: Reasons for Growing Herbs
Page 3: Scoffing at Herb Gardeners
Page 4: Fragrant and Useful
Page 5: Herbs as Medicine
Page 6: Herbs and Commercial Drugs
Page 7: Grown anywhere
Page 8: Fragrance of Herbs
Page 9: The soil and flavors
Page 10: Most important Herb families
Page 11: Plant Families containing
Herbs
Page 12: Oils, Flavors, and Diet
Page 13: Learning from Herb History
Page 14: Cooking with Herbs
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