Destiny

***1)Juniper Berry***Description {{Juniper is an evergreen shrub sometimes attaining the height of a small tree up to 3 mtrs with erect trunk and spreading branches, covered with a shreddy bark. The trunk diameter is 25-30 cm. Leaves are straight and rigid, oval shape, about 6-13 mm long and with sharp prickly points. It is dioecious plant. The male and female flowers produced in April and May usually born on separate plants, the male flowers in short catkins and female flowers in small cones. The fleshy berry like fruit is sub-globose, bluish black, dark purple when ripe, 10-13 mm in diameter covered with waxy blook. The three scales comprising fruit, occasionally gaping and exposing bony seeds, usually three, elongated, ovoid, and embedded in the pulp. The plant grows wild in many parts of Europe and Asia and in North America. In India, it is found in Himalayas at an altitude of 1500-4000 mtrs above MSL. It thrives well on warm sunny places especially in mountain slopes. }} ***Uses*** {{The fruits are used as a food flavourant and as a food. In Europe it is used for the preparation of alcoholic beverages. Juniper oil is used in flavouring liquors and cordial. The fruits and volatile oil possess carminative, stimulant and diuretic properties.}} ***2) Kokam*** Description {{Kokam is a slender evergreen small tree with drooping branches. It is a dioecious tree growing up to 18 mtr high. The fruit is spherical, purple, not grooved having 5-8 seeds compressed in an acid pulp. The crop prefers warm and moderately humid tropical climate with a total rainfall range of 2500-5000mm grows under a mean annual temperature of 20-30 degree C, 60-80% humidity and up to an altitude of 800 mtrs above MSL.}} ***Uses*** {{The ripened, rind and juice of Kokam fruit are commonly used in cooking. The dried and salted rind is used as a condiment in curries. It is also used as a garnish to give an acid flavour to curries and for preparing attractive, red, pleasant flavoured cooling syrup. Kokam butter used as an edible fat, is nutritive, demulcent and antiseptic. The rind has antioxidant property}} ***3) Lovage ***Description {{Lovage is a hardy perennial with a height of 90 cm, flowers in summer, dying down in autumn. It bears clusters of yellow flowers with a sharp smell. The roots are dug out in second or third year of planting and cut into slices in 13 mm thick and carefully dried. It grows well in well-drained soil. The seeds are sown in late summer and transplanted in the following spring. }} ***Uses*** {{The roots, seeds and leaves are used for flavouring foods. Flowering tops yield volatile oil. The leaves and stems are blanched and eaten as salads. In medicine it is used as a liver tonic and is used against bladder inflammation.}} ***4)Marjoram ***Description {{Marjoram is a perennial aromatic herb. Its dried leaves and flower tops constitutes the spice. The sweet marjoram is characterized by a strong spicy pleasant odour. The flavour is fragrant, slightly sharp bitterish and camphoraceous. The plant is 30-60 cm high and develops a large number of leafy stalks with small leaves. Leaves are light, greyish green reaching around 21 mm in length and 11 mm breadth. The flowers are small, white or pinkish or red. Marjoram grows in any well-drained, fertile garden loam and cultivated as an annual. }} ***Uses*** {{Marjoram is used in seasonings, sausages and salamis. Since the spice has a delicate perfume which can be lost easily while cooking, it is best when added shortly before the end of cooking. The aromatic seeds are used in confectionary. }} ***5)Mint***Description {{Japanese Mint (Mentha Arvensis) is a perennial herb with creeping root stalk and an erect stem, 1-2 quadrangulate branched with short dense hair. Leaves are 2.5 – 5cm long, oblong-ovate. Flowers are in auxiliary whorls, none at the top. Plant rises to a height of 0.4-0.8 mtr. Branching freely, flowers appearing in May-June and again in September-November under cultivation. Pepper Mint (Mentha piperita), Bergamot Mint (Mentha citrata) and Spear Mint (Mentha Spicata) are also commercially cultivated though on a lesser scale. These species are morphologically variant to that of Japanese Mint. Temperate to tropical climate is suited for plant growth. Sunny weather with moderate rain is conducive to its luxuriant growth. A deep soil, rich in humus which can retain moisture, is suitable for mint cultivation.}} ***Uses *** {{Mint is used for flavouring meat, fish, sauces, soups, stews, vinegar, tea, tobacco and cordials. The mint oil is used for the production of natural menthol, dementhalised oil is for flavouring mouth washes, tooth paste and pharmaceutical preparations. In medicine, it is used against stomach disorders, rheumatism, in ointments for headaches, in cough drops, inhalations etc. The oil and dried plants are antiseptic, carminative, refrigerant, stimulant and diuretic. }}