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Herbs have played
an important part in man's life for countless years -- in his
politics, romance, love, religion, health, and superstition.
Early settlers
brought herbs to America for use as remedies for illnesses,
flavoring, storing with linens, strewing on floors, or burning
for their pleasant fragrances. Some herbs were used to improve
the taste of meats in the days before preservation techniques
were developed. Other herbs were used to dye homespun fabrics.
Herb gardens
were almost an essential feature of pioneer homes. They were
placed in sunny corners near the house to be readily available
to the busy homemaker. As the population of the new country
grew, people from many nations brought herbs with them. This
resulted in an exchange of slips, seeds, and plants.
Many herbs
familiar to settlers from other countries were found growing
wild in the new country. These included parsley, anise,
pennyroyal, sorrel, watercress, liverwort, wild leeks, and
lavender. American Indians knew uses for almost every wild,
nonpoisonous plant, but they used the plants chiefly for
domestic purposes -- tanning and dyeing leather and eating.
Celery was
used by the Abyssinians for stuffing pillows. Ancient Greeks and
Romans crowned their heroes with dill and laurel. Dill also was
used by the Romans to purify the air in their banquet halls.
Some herbs
were given magical properties, probably because of their
medicinal uses. The early Chinese considered artemisia to have
special charms. In France during the Middle Ages, babies were
rubbed with artemisia juices to protect them from the cold.
Ancient Greeks used sweet marjoram as a valuable tonic, and
parsley as a cure for stomach ailments. Rosemary was eaten in
the Middle Ages for its tranquilizing effects and as a cure-all
for headaches.
Chives, still
a common herb often found growing wild, had economic importance
throughout Asia and many Mediterranean countries. Odd as it seems now,
the early Dutch settlers in this country intentionally planted
chives in the meadows so cows would give chive-flavored milk.
Mint, another
popular herb today, also had its beginnings early in history.
Greek athletes used bruised mint leaves as an after-bath lotion.
In the Middle Ages, mint was important as a cleansing agent and
later was used to purify drinking water that had turned stale on
long ocean voyages. Mint also was given mystical powers It was
used to neutralize the "evil eye" and to produce an aggressive
character.
Mustard was
lauded by Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, and
Shakespeare called it a desirable condiment in several of his
plays.
Other herbs
with importance dating back to early times include basil,
saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme.
"Adapted
from publication NE-208, produced by the
Cooperative Extension Services of the
Northeast States." |
