The obvious answer is to prevent the soil’s rape by artificial chemical additives, and to grow the produce organically in the first place, trying to duplicate Nature wherever possible. Food crops, so grown are no danger to health, and contain many times more nutritional value.

Many publications are available to the keen gardener or commercial grower, setting out various methods of composting. One available free from the Department of Agriculture in New South Wales is Building up Fertility in the Garden; and although it does not follow the organic method closely its wealth of proven factual field experience by qualified ag-gronomists and agriculturalists gives much food for thought. Fertility without Fertilizers, a book issued by the Henry Double-day Research Association, Bocking, Braintree, Essex, goes much farther into the making of the organic compost so necessary for natural growth. Here you will find much more thought-provoking research into the use of herbs and other natural agents for speeding up the process of composting.

Read as much as you can on organic gardening methods. It should be the far-sighted aim of farmers and gardeners not only to produce an immediate crop of better vegetables and fruit, or blooms the size of soup-plates for the annual horticultural show, but to build up in the soil the natural reserves of fertility that in a matter of a few seasons will not only make less work for them (a rich soil needs little or no attention), but will save them money normally spent on chemical fertilizers and sprays, as the crops’ resistance to disease and insect attack is increased when grown under natural conditions. The humus and organic matter thus returned to the soil brings with it the “helpers”, the earthworms, the micro-organisms and bacteria that keep the soil healthy and alive and break down the decomposing vegetable and animal matter into an easily assimilable form which the plants can then use.

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In Britain, the real Golden Age of herbs and herb gardens began in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, when the wars of the barons and knights ended and relative peace descended. With increased security, the peasants returned to cultivate the land, and the lords set out to keep up with the Joneses. Rivalry between noble families no longer flourished on the battlefield, but each now sought to outstrip the other in the size and opulence of his home and the imagination and ingenuity of his gardeners and cooks. The formal herb garden evolved from those same monastery gardens, which were often planted in the form of a cross or diagonally-crossed square. Now the wealthy set their gardeners to constructing all manner of intricate designs, seeking to please the eye by art as well as nature. Sometimes the gardens were laid out in the form of heraldic animals, or the owner’s coat-of-arms, or even his initials. Francis Bacon wrote very scathingly of these practices “. . . images cut out in juniper or other garden stuff, they be for children. As for the making of knots or figures, they be but toys. . . .” And indeed they were, as the herbs grown were more for ornament than use. But the herbs grown in the kitchen gardens, and the gardens of the peasants, were most certainly for use, and were often the only physic available.

As the herbs from other lands came to be better known and more widely used, interest in the health values of British native plants was also stimulated. William Turner (1510-68) has been called the father of British botany for his work in the classification and naming of many native British plants found in the ditches and hedgerows and woodlands. These plants were now to come under scrutiny as sources of readily available herbal preparations. Nicholas Culpeper (1616-54) one of the best-known of the British herbal healers, became a physician after studying ancient Greek and Arabian medicine at Cambridge. He was a rebel—a man with a fierce antagonism towards the orthodox schools of medicine, which ridiculed his methods and beliefs. He remained poor and died penniless, having never refused help to any sufferer. The doctors criticized him not for his lack of skill or knowledge, but for the amazing number of cures he effected, claiming he must have used witchcraft: it was not possible to cure so many patients! How familiar that must sound to the many practitioners of natural medicine, even today!

Culpeper’s predecessor, John Gerard (1545-1612), another British herbalist, was, though dedicated, somewhat fanciful in many of the properties he attributed to herbs. He often cribbed from other writers (not always accurately), and many of his more far-fetched remedies are quoted by those opposing the use of herbs in health or sickness.

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A delightful tobacco substitute can be made from dried sage leaves, the slight lessening of the fresh flavour being an advantage, since sage can be rather overpowering in its strength. Sage cigarettes would not be so revolutionary: the herb was inhaled in snuff when this habit was fashionable.

Sage tea has a long history of therapeutic use: for rheumatic complaints, and more especially to strengthen the brain and heart and quicken the memory and senses. Sage leaves on bread and butter are still eaten regularly in northern England and Scotland, and the Chinese credit their longevity to liberal use of the herb. Rub the leaves on gums under dentures, too, to stimulate and harden them. The tea is made by adding 1 cup of boiling water to a dessertspoon of fresh (or a teaspoon of dried) sage leaves. Cover and leave 5 minutes. Sip slowly. It also calms excitement, so make a pot straight away if you win the lottery.

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Horseradish is very effective in the treatment of sinus and antrum congestion. Taken internally in concentrated form, it helps to purify the bloodstream and rid the body of mucous wastes. It is a seasoning that can be used safely by diabetics. It is also a valuable addition to a dog’s diet. The leaf, chopped small, helps to rid the animal of worms and build up the general body tone.

If you have a tendency to sinus congestion, add horseradish freely to your diet. There are many appetizing ways of using it in sauces and dressings for meat and vegetable dishes.

Almond Horseradish Sauce

2 tablespoons grated horseradish 1 oz. skinned almonds, chopped 1 oz. butter 1 cup cold milk

1 oz. wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon raw sugar Seasoning to taste

Make a white sauce with the butter, flour and milk, boiling until thickened. Add the other ingredients. Heat through and serve at once with boiled beef or a dish of whole steamed vegetables.

Cold Horseradish Sauce

4 tablespoons grated horseradish Pinch of paprika

2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon wine vinegar

4 tablespoons yoghurt or thick cream

Mix first four ingredients together, then add the yoghurt or cream. Blend till creamy and smooth. Serve with a salad, cold meat or smorgasbord platter of vegetables.

It has been discovered recently that a clump of horseradish at each end of the potato rows can improve the health and resistance to disease of the potato tubers. This is another old farmer’s tale that has been confirmed by controlled experiments in testing plots, both in Britain and the United States. Organic gardeners are ever seeking natural methods of improving crops and maintaining the fertility of the soil. It seems horseradish can give plants as well as humans the benefit of its natural antibiotic properties.

One word of warning: don’t plant horseradish among the flower beds or the herbaceous border. Each piece of root broken off when digging will start another plant, and you will find yourself eliminating horseradish unto the third and fourth generation. Give it a spot at the far end of the garden where it can grow and multiply freely.

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Cichorium intybus COMPOSITAE

Strictly speaking, chicory is a pot-herb, almost a vegetable, but I have included it here because of its wonderful store of vitamins and minerals, and that liver- and gall-regulating substance, choline. It is very rich in calcium, copper and iron. It is such an easy trouble-free plant to grow, decorative if grown for its flowers in the herbaceous beds, useful as a winter vegetable if cooked, and a source of many essential body needs when eaten raw in a salad.

The variety known as Belgian or Brussels Chicory is the herb used very extensively in Europe. It is even grown as a rich fodder-crop for cattle in some parts of France and northern Italy. It grows rapidly, is a perennial, and is a very nutritive diet addition for man or beast.

Some people have probably heard of chicory only in “coffee and chicory”; and you may think, as I once did, that it is a cheap adulterant to add to coffee essence to bring down its price. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The canny French learnt from the Italians and Greeks, who learnt from the Asiatics: that heavy coffee drinking can have a very bad effect on the liver. So what more simple to those wise early “nutritionists” than to add a substance that helped the liver and gall action of the body—chicory. The roots are the parts used for the beverage, being roasted and ground at the end of the growing season, and either added to coffee or used instead of it, to make a very palatable drink.

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Morning Sickness

There are several herb remedies which are effective in controlling or relieving vomiting during pregnancy, the choice of which is determined by individual preference and response.

6 parts Spearmint leaves

3 parts Cinnamon bark (cut or powdered)

1 part Clove buds (crushed or powdered)

Infusion: 1/2 ñèð every 30 minutes for acute conditions, not to exceed 3 cups per day

Lemon Balm leaves

Infusion: 1/2 ñèð as required, not to exceed 3 cups per day

Cinnamon bark (cut or powdered)

Infusion: 1/2-1 ñèð 3 times per day, taken an hour before meals

1 part Chamomile flowers

1 part Meadowsweet herb

1 part Raspberry leaves

1 part Spearmint leaves

Infusion: 1/2-1 ñèð as required, not to exceed 3 cups per day

Nappy Rash

Use a soothing and healing ointment such as Comfrey, Marigold, Marshmallow or Mullein.

Where the skin is very red and sore:

Chamomile flowers

Elder flowers St John’s Wort

Infusion of any of the above combination: apply cool as a moist compress on a gauze pad, or as a lotion between nappy changes

Exposure to fresh air is often the best treatment, though not always practicable.

For ‘cradle cap’ – apply a strong infusion of Chamomile flowers as a lotion. Apricot kernel oil is also useful.

Post-Natal Depression

Vervain is a specific remedy for convalescent and post-natal depression.

1 part Vervain herb

1 part Lemon Balm leaves Infusion: 3 cups per day

2 parts Vervain herb

1 part Rosehips

2 parts Lemon Balm leaves

1 part Dandelion root

1 part Rosemary leaves

1 part Stinging Nettle herb

1 part Motherwort herb

1 part Burdock root Infusion: 3 cups per day

Pregnancy and Childbirth

Raspberry leaf is an excellent tonic for expectant mothers. Taken regularly during the course of pregnancy, it will help to allay morning sickness and secure an easier delivery.

Raspberry leaf

Infusion: 1-3 cups per day during pregnancy

Chamomile is an excellent remedy for all kinds of complaints in babies and small children. Given in teaspoon doses, it will help to settle a baby suffering from teething, earache, colds, catarrh, colic, fright, crying, sleeplessness, etc. For infants and young children the dose is increased proportionately.

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Anaemia

2 parts Stinging Nettle herb

1 part Dandelion root

1 part Alfalfa herb

Infusion: 3 cups per day

 

3 parts Burdock root

1 part Angelica root

1 part Yellow Dock root

Combined decoction and infusion: 3 cups per day

 

Chives

Dandelion

Spinach

Stinging Nettle

Watercress

Include frequently in diet, as salad herbs or vegetables

Lack of Appetite

To stimulate appetite and promote digestion:

2 parts Burdock root

2 parts Chamomile flowers

1 part Angelica root

Infusion: 1 cup an hour before meals

1 part Dandelion root

1 part Horehound leaves

1 part Chamomile flowers

1 part Fennel seed

Infusion: 1/2-1 cup an hour before meals

2 parts Peppermint leaves

1 part Angelica root

Infusion: 1/2 ñuð an hour before meals

Alfalfa, Angelica, Dandelion and Fennel taken regularly over a period of time tend to promote appetite and normalize digestion. Make an infusion hour with equal parts of these herbs and take 1/2 cup an hour before meals for several weeks.

Bad Breath

Angelica root

Anise seed

Clove buds

Fennel seed

Parsley leaves

Peppermint leaves

Spearmint leaves

Thyme herb

Prepare an infusion from any of the above herbs, alone or in combination, and gargle frequently. Alternatively, chew a little of them from time to time. With persistent bad breath, consider the need for a laxative, dental care or attention to digestive function.

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Salvia officinalis

Action: Anti-sudorific, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, astringent, carminative, choleretic, tonic, emmenagogue.

Systems Affected: Brain, nerves, mucous membranes, liver, general effects on the whole body. Preparation and Dosage (thrice daily): Dried leaves, dose 0.5-2.0 grams by infusion.

There are several hundred species of Sage distributed throughout the world, several of which have culinary and medicinal use. The most important and best known is Salvia officinalis. Native to southern Europe, it is now cultivated commercially and as a kitchen herb in many parts of the world.

Well known and frequently employed as a culinary herb, Sage is also important as a medicinal plant with a wide range of applications.

Primarily astringent and anti-sudorific, Sage is of particular benefit in slowing the secretion of fluids. Thus it is used for treating sinusitis, excessive perspiration, night sweats, clear vaginal discharge and to stop the flow of milk. It is also useful in diarrhoea, dysentery, the early stages of colds and flu, and for infections and inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract and urinary organs.

Sage is highly effective in reducing the secretion of fluids and should not be used to excess, as it may slow secretions more than desired. Hence, except where taken in small tonic doses, it should not be used for more than a week at a time, but during this period 3 or 4 cups of the infusion may be taken daily.

Sage has a tonic effect on the liver and digestive processes, and on the brain and mental functioning. It is sometimes used to treat loss of memory in senility and to counter the effects of mental fatigue and overwork in students or those engaged in prolonged mental activity. It is of benefit in nervous conditions such as anxiety and depression. Combined with Rosemary and Peppermint, it is used to treat headaches. A half cup of the infusion, made from equal parts of these herbs (25 to 30 grams per 500 ml of water), is taken every two hours until relief is obtained.

Externally Sage is effective as an antiseptic gargle for sore throat and mouth ulcers. It is used as a douche to treat vaginal discharge and in baths to treat skin problems.

Cautionary Notes: Sage should not be taken by women if pregnant or breastfeeding, as it may have undesired effects in stimulating the uterus or reducing lactation.

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Crataegus monogyna or C. oxyacanthoides

Action: Cardiac tonic, hypotensive, antispasmodic, sedative, diuretic.

Systems Affected: Heart, circulation, nerves, kidneys.

Preparation and Dosage (thrice daily): Dried berries, dose 0.3-1.0 grams by infusion.

Hawthorn is a shrub or tree growing up to nine or 10 meters in height. Native to Europe, in Britain it forms a part of many hedgerows. It is introduced in other temperate zones and often grows as a weed, as is the case in Australia. Its common name refers to a thorny bush producing fruit, the haw. The plant has many religious and magical associations. Hawthorn is highly regarded for its action on the heart and circulatory system. It is of specific use in high blood pressure associated with heart weakness, arteriosclerosis, palpitations and angina pectoris. Prolonged treatment is necessary but its regular use strengthens and regulates the heart muscle. For optimum effect it is usually combined with other herbs for the heart and circulation such as Cayenne, Motherwort, Garlic and Lime Tree (Tilia cordata) flowers.

Hawthorn is also of benefit as a sedative for nervous conditions (particularly insomnia), as a diuretic for fluid retention and kidney problems, and as a gargle for sore throats.

The tincture is a useful form of preparation for regular use: steep 100 grams of the dried berries in 500 ml of brandy for two weeks. Shake daily. Strain and bottle. The dose is 1-2 ml, 3 times daily.

A liqueur was once manufactured from the berries. The wood is extremely hard, has a fine grain and takes an excellent polish. It was formerly used for small boxes, combs and other items. It is an excellent fuel, reputedly making the hottest wood-fire known.

Cautionary Notes: Hawthorn has been declared a noxious weed in many locations and is sometimes subject to spraying and eradication programmes. If collecting wild Hawthorn berries, be extremely careful in checking that the plant has not been sprayed with toxic herbicides. Regulations concerning noxious weeds vary. Planting or cultivation of Hawthorn may be allowed in some urban areas but is usually prohibited in rural areas. (Consult the local department of agriculture for information on noxious weeds.)

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Nepeta cataria

Action: Nervine, diaphoretic, carminative, antispasmodic, anti-diarrhoeic, antiseptic, sedative, slightly emmenagogue, mildly stimulant.

Systems Affected: Nerves, stomach, intestines, circulation, uterus.

Preparation and Dosage (thrice daily): Dried leaves and flowering tips, dose 2-5 grams by infusion.

Catnip, a strongly-scented perennial, is a member of the mint family which has grown wild in Europe and Asia for centuries. As regards its name: some cats seem to relish it, eating the leaves or rolling about on the plant, some ignore it and yet others seem distressed by it, even going so far as to scratch it out and destroy it.

Catnip, taken as a hot infusion, produces free perspiration and is therefore useful in colds, flu and fever. The addition of a little Ginger will intensify the effect. In feverish colds, taken hot upon retiring, it will help to induce peaceful sleep.

The herb is a mild sedative and antispasmodic and is thus used for insomnia, colic, restlessness and irritability. It is a good treatment for diarrhoea, and is often used in enemas for its effect in gently relaxing and restoring tone to the bowels. It is sometimes included as a part of formulas for delayed menstruation.

An excellent herb for children, especially when combined with Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Raspberry Leaf or Spearmint, it is an important remedy in children’s insomnia, restlessness, nervous irritability, colds and fever. It is of particular benefit in infantile colic and diarrhoea. In such cases 2 or 3 teaspoons of an infusion made from 25 grams of the dried herb to 500 ml of water are given frequently.

Externally it may be applied to cuts, abrasions and bruises. Among other constituents it contains thymol, which has proven antiseptic properties and is also found in Thyme. Combined with ground Cloves, it was applied as a home remedy to aching teeth.

Cautionary Notes: Whereas most people experience a pleasant relaxation from the herb, some may find it has a mild depressive effect. Large doses are emetic.

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