China Bayles' Book of Days

by Susan Wittig Albert

  • Maple leaves curl up at the edges when it’s going to rain. —MAPLE LORE

  Read more about maple lore and cookery:

  Maple Syrup Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, by Ken Haedrich

  MARCH 11

  In March, the Moon being new, sow Onions, Garlic, Chervil, Marjoram, white Poppy, double Marigolds, Thyme and Violets. At the full Moon, Chicory, Fennel, and Apples of Love. At the wane, Artichokes, Basil, Cucumbers, Spinach, Gillyflowers, Cabbage, Lettuce, Burnets, Leeks, and Savory.

  —GERVASE MARKHAM, THE ENGLISH HOUSEWIFE, 1615

  From Onion Sets to Green Onions

  This is the time of year when you’re likely to see onion sets—little onions ready for transplanting, bundled in bunches of 60-80 plants—in your local nursery, feed store, or grocery store. Growing onions from sets is probably the simplest and quickest way to obtain “green onions,” small onions that are enjoyed as much for the green tops as the white bulbs. Purchase firm, dormant sets early, before they begin to grow in the heated store. At home, keep them in a cool, dry, dark place until you can set them out in the garden.

  You can plant onions as soon as you can till the soil. They will grow almost anywhere, but they appreciate a fertile, moist (but not soggy) soil, and cool temperatures. To produce green onions, plant the sets one inch deep and almost touching. (Green onions are harvested before crowding becomes a problem.) Start pulling your onions when the tops are 6 inches tall. Their flavor will be stronger as they get larger; you can use them in cooked dishes when they’re too fiery to eat raw.

  The onion has been used medicinally since antiquity. It was also thought to repel evil spirits, and bunches of onions were often hung outside the door or over the manger in the barn to keep witches and bad fairies away.

  Read more about the power of onions:

  The Onion Book: A Bounty of Culture, Cultivation, and Cuisine, by Carolyn Dille and Susan Belsinger

  Onions, Leeks, & Garlic: A Handbook for Gardeners, by Marian Coonse

  Onion skin, very thin,

  Mild winter’s coming in.

  Onion skin, thick and tough,

  Coming winter cold and rough.

  —TRADITIONAL

  The onion had many uses. The inside of an onion skin placed on cuts and scratches acted as a type of elastoplast . . . An onion placed on a wasp or bee sting soon took the pain away. A mixture of onions and sugar in water was a cure for whooping cough. Rubbed on the head it was believed a cure for baldness.

  —ROY VICKERY, OXFORD DICTIONARY OF PLANT-LORE

  MARCH 12

  From Dogwood white to Dogwood red,

  That’s the way the summer’s fled.

  —SAM RAGAN

  Dogwood White, Dogwood Red

  THE USEFUL DOGWOOD

  How did this beautiful little tree get the odd name dogwood ? Some people think it derives from the use of the bark to brew a wash for mangy dogs; in the seventeenth century, the shrub was called the dog-berry or hound-berry tree. Others think the name grew out of the widespread use of the wood as a dagger or skewer (Fr. dague, It/Span. daga). It was also called the prick timber tree, “because butchers used to make pricks of it.” In fact, dogwood was used for all sorts of tools, especially those that had to resist wear, splitting, and splintering: pegs, pulleys, cogwheels, spindles, bobbins, knitting needles, forks, and spoons. And because it did not contain silica and could be polished smooth, it was used to make specialty tools for watchmakers and opticians.

  THE MEDICINAL DOGWOOD

  Dogwood (Cornus sp.) was a medicinal staple for Native Americans. The Cherokee chewed twigs for headache, the Chippewa used the bark to treat coughs, the Iroquois used the roots as an eye wash, and the Delaware used the bark as a painkiller. Many tribes used it to treat ague, malaria, and fever, and as a blood cleanser, wound healer, and colic soother. Its use as a chewing stick to clean the teeth and treat toothache and gum ailments led early settlers to use it as a toothpick.

  THE LEGENDARY DOGWOOD

  You may have read the legend that the dogwood tree was once as tall and imposing as the oak. Because of the strength of the wood, it was used to make the cross on which Christ was crucified. The dogwood was ashamed of its participation in this horrific event and begged Jesus for forgiveness. He took pity on the tree and decreed that from henceforth, it would be so slender and twisted that it could never be used as a cross. Its blossoms, however, still tell the tale: In the center, there is a crown of thorns, and each petal bears a nail print stained with red.

  Since the dogwood is not native to the Mediterranean area, its connection to Christ’s crucifixion can only be legendary. The same tale is told of several other small, twisted trees.

  Read more about dogwood:

  Leaves: In Myth, Magic, & Medicine, by Alice Thoms Vitale

  The Folklore of Trees and Shrubs, by Laura C. Martin

  MARCH 13

  The pretty cosmetic vinegars on that shelf over there—mint vinegar, floral and lavender vinegar—are all made by Verna Roberts, who got her start in a class I taught a few years ago and now markets her delightful vinegars all over central Texas.

  —BLEEDING HEARTS: A CHINA BAYLES MYSTERY

  Cosmetic Vinegars

  Cosmetic vinegars have been used as a facial skin tonic for centuries. As we face the dry heat of winter indoors and the blasts of March wind outdoors, this is a good time to take a little extra care. Herbal vinegar skin tonics can help maintain or restore the skin’s acid balance, and can tone, soothe, soften, and heal. They are astringent, but since they don’t contain alcohol, they don’t dry the skin. And for an itchy scalp, part the hair and dab with vinegar-moistened cotton; repeat over the head.

  MAKING AND USING COSMETIC HERBAL VINEGAR

  Start with four cups of high-quality apple cider vinegar and two cups fresh or one cup dried herbs. (See the herbal combinations suggested below.) Steep for several weeks in a dark place, then strain and bottle. To use, mix ½ cup vinegar with 3 cups water, and spritz or splash it on your face after washing.

  • Minty Vinegar: equal parts of spearmint, sage, thyme, rosemary

  • Sweet Floral Vinegar: equal parts of rose petals and hips, willow bark, chamomile flowers, and dried orange peel. Mix with rose water for use.

  • Lovely Lavender Vinegar: lavender flowers, rosemary, thyme

  For a rejuvenating facial, follow a facial steaming with refreshing vinegar. For the steam, bring a pan of water to a boil, put 3-4 sprigs of rosemary in the water, boil for one minute, then remove from the heat. Hold your towel-draped head over the pan and allow the rosemary-rich steam to open the pores. Pat with a cotton ball drenched in vinegar. Repeat once or twice. Then spritz with chilled vinegar to close the pores.

  If you suffer from frequent headaches, quilt a lavender cap:

  I judge that the flowers of lavender, quilted into a cap and daily worn, are good for all diseases of the head that come of a cold cause . . .

  —WILLIAM TURNER, HERBAL, 1568

  Discover a variety of cosmetic uses of vinegar and other natural products:

  Natural Beauty for All Seasons, by Janice Cox

  In the floral calendar, today’s flower: hearts-ease.

  MARCH 14

  Today is National Potato Chip Day.

  Sauce of the poor man: a little potato with the big one.

  —IRISH SAYING

  The Potato

  Throughout history, the potato has had its ups and downs.

  In its native Peru, the potato has been a valuable food staple for nearly 8,000 years, and some 4,000 different varieties can still be found there. The Quechua vocabulary included over a thousand words to describe the cultivation and use of potatoes, and “the time it takes to cook a potato” was an important measure of time. The potato was used as a staple medicine and was believed to ensure fertility.

  But when the Spaniards brought the potato to Europe in the 1570s, it was a different story. Europeans were suspicious of the plant,
partly because they viewed it as a food for the poor and partly because it produced grotesque tubers underground and reproduced itself from those same misshapen tubers. Surely there was some deviltry associated with this! The matter was settled when in 1596 the Swiss botanist Gaspard Bauhin assigned the potato to the Solanaceae family: the same nasty clan that included the deadly nightshade, henbane, and tobacco—herbs long used as poisons, narcotics, and magic.

  But the potato’s prospects brightened again in 1710 when William Salmon, a popular and prolific author, claimed that the cooked tubers stopped “fluxes of the bowel” and could cure tuberculosis and rabies. He also repeated a long-held belief about plants that reproduced themselves below ground: that the potato would “increase seed and provoke lust, causing fruitfulness in both sexes.” These claims joined other folk-medicine beliefs: A peeled potato in the pocket could cure a toothache, a dried potato hung around the neck would cure rheumatism, and potato juice rubbed on warts would make them disappear.

  The potato rooted itself most firmly and rapidly in Ireland, where by 1800 it was the most important food. Its easy availability led to a rapid population growth, and, when the plant was struck by a blight in the 1840s, to the equally swift deaths of over a million people. In England, the potato was avoided as a symbol of Ireland’s unhappy misfortune.

  In America, however, the potato was widely appreciated, especially after Thomas Jefferson went to France in the 1780s and gained an appreciation for French cooking. He particularly enjoyed pomme-frites , and when he became president, had them served at White House dinners—the elegant, tasteful French fry.

  Oh, yes, the potato chip. It was invented by George Crum in 1853, when an irate diner sent back the fried potatoes because they weren’t crunchy enough.

  MARCH 15

  Today is the Ides of March.

  In many cultures, herbal baths are an important ritual. The bathers believe that when certain herbs are added to the bath water, they release not only their scent but their special energies. The bath based on the protective herb rosemary, for instance, was thought to make the bather safe from the forces of negativity and evil. To re-create this ritual for yourself, put a cup and a half of rosemary leaves and one-half cup each of bay leaves, basil, and fennel into a quart jar. Pour boiling water over the herbs and let them steep. Strain into a warm bath. Relax, feeling safe and cared for.

  —RUBY WILCOX, “PERSONAL HERBAL RITUALS,” IN ROSEMARY

  REMEMBERED: A CHINA BAYLES MYSTERY

  An Unlucky Day?

  Julius Caesar probably did more than anyone else to blacken the reputation of March 15, although for the Romans, there were quite a few other unlucky days. These included the Kalends (the first of each month), the Nones (the seventh or the fifth, depending on the month), and the Ides (the fifteenth or the thirteenth). And we all know what happens when the thirteenth falls on a Friday.

  If unlucky days make you nervous, defend yourself with some the traditional protective herbs that have been used for millennia to ward off evil.

  • Angelica: Wear it to protect yourself against evil spirits, but beware that it may also keep you from seeing opportunities.

  • Borage: If you’re concerned about dishonesty, plots, or secrets, place borage leaves or blossoms nearby and listen in. (Borage is said to encourage people to tell the truth.)

  • Caraway: Wear the seeds in an amulet to protect against disease and ill health. Put some into your spouse’s pocket to protect against infidelity.

  • Dill: Hang a bunch of dill over a child’s bed to protect against evil fairies.

  • Lavender: Use the fresh or dried flowers, oil, perfume, or incense to protect and shield yourself and your home from negative energy.

  • Marjoram: Sprinkle it across the threshold for protection against burglars and unwanted visitors.

  • Pennyroyal: Burn it as an incense to protect against domestic abuse and violence in the home.

  • Rue: Wear the fresh or dried herb in an amulet to protect yourself against illness.

  • Rosemary: Bathe in Ruby’s protective bath.

  Read more about the protective properties of herbs:

  Magical Herbalism: The Secret Craft of the Wise, by Scott Cunningham

  Depend on the rabbit’s foot if you will, but remember it didn’t work for the rabbit.

  —R. E. SHAY

  MARCH 16

  Laura Kermen is a Papago woman who, at the least, is in her eighties . . . [and] the winters wear hard on her. She therefore keeps a thermos of fresh-brewed creosote tea nearby to drink, and puts its branches in her bath water to ease the ache in her bones. The plant from which she gathers branches is the same one that her father used at the turn of the century.

  —GARY PAUL NABHAN, GATHERING THE DESERT

  “The Creosote Bush Is Our Drugstore”

  In the deserts of the Southwest, and in Southwestern gardens of native herbs, the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata ) is blooming now. Its yellow blossoms are a bright accent against the glossy green of its resinous leaves, which are key to its survival through months of heat and drought. When it rains, the plant gives off a strong, tarry odor, which accounts for its common name. The Papago Indians call it greasewood. It is an ancient plant; remains have been found that are some 17,000 years old. Once it puts down roots, it’s persistent, sending out satellite shoots—clones—that establish themselves in concentric circles around the original plant, which lives for about 200 years. One such family of cloned plants, called “King Clone” by botanists, has been estimated to be over 9,000 years old, which makes it among the oldest known living creatures.

  Creosote bush has a richly diverse history of documented medicinal use by Southwestern Indians, who have used it as a universal remedy to treat colds, lung ailments, intestinal problems, and wounds. Twigs and leaves are dried, powdered, and made into a tea or a poultice; they are also used in baths and sweat lodges. The resinous sap that the plant exudes is used for a variety of purposes. One Papago tribe member remarked that the plant “is our drugstore.” Recent scientific studies have indicated that it is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant, although researchers caution against overuse.

  If your climate is hot and dry, this ancient herbal shrub belongs in your garden. It requires little water and responds to occasional pruning with thicker branching and more foliage and flowers, which attract several species of bees. You can use it as a beautiful specimen plant, or as a hedge. And when you show it off to visitors, tell them that it deserves a great deal of respect. It has survived and thrived in our deserts much longer than humans!

  Explore the variety and usefulness of the native herbs of the Southwest:

  Gathering the Desert, by Gary Paul Nabhan

  MARCH 17

  Today is St. Patrick’s Day.

  May your blessings outnumber

  The Shamrocks that grow.

  And may trouble avoid you

  Wherever you go.

  —IRISH BLESSING

  The Shamrock

  Irish legends tell us that when St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, he used the shamrock—the three-leaf clover—to teach the natives about the Holy Trinity, the Three-In-One. The word shamrock is derived from the Gaelic word seamrog, “summer plant.” Long before St. Patrick, however, the herb was used by the ancient Celts as part of their fertility ritual. After the English took over Ireland, it took on still another meaning as a defiant symbol of rebellion: anyone caught “wearing the green” could be condemned to death as a traitor. Today, the shamrock is recognized around the world as a symbol of Ireland, especially on St. Patrick’s Day, when everyone is Irish!

  In the Herbal or General History of Plants (1597), John Gerard describes several important medicinal uses of the three-leaf clover, which he called trefoil. “The leaves boiled with a little barrowes grease [the fat of a neutered male pig], and used as a poultice, take away hot swellings and inflammations.” To treat the eyes: “Trefoile (especially that with the bla
ck halfe Moon upon the leafe) stamped with a little honie, takes away the pin and web in the eies, ceaseth the paine and inflammation thereof. . . .”

  In The English Physician (1652), the astrological herbalist Nicholas Culpeper says that the plant is ruled by Mercury, and adds: “Country people do also in many places drink the juice thereof against the biting of an adder; and having boiled the herb in water, they first wash the place with the decoction, and then lay some of the herb also to the hurt place.”

  Read more about Irish herbs:

  The Irish Herb Basket: An Illustrated Companion to Herbs, by Hazel Evans

  Four-leaf clovers were good luck. Children saved these to take home and press in a book or they put them in their shoe: Four leaf clover in my shoe, Please to make my wish come true —JEANNÉ R. CHESANOW, HONEYSUCKLE SIPPING: THE PLANT

  LORE OF CHILDHOOD

  MARCH 18

  Years ago, I was very impatient with anyone using a long Latin name to designate a common, ordinary plant. . . . I think it was the Pigweed, more than anything else, that cured me of this attitude.