As many of you know, I am great fan of the Internet. I use email as one of my primary forms of communication, I purchase products on-line, I research plants, seeds, herbs and more on-line, and, of course, this newsletter is brought to you on-line.

But, I love books! I have lots of books- mostly reference type books. The novels I read I borrow from my local library since I'd be smothered in books if I kept all the thrillers, mysteries and stories I have read. The books I like to keep are the ones that I can go to with ease to look up the hardiness of a plant, it's cultivation requirements, a quick history or to fact check something I'm writing about.

Books are easy. You can open to any page- stick your finger or a scrap of paper there, go to another page and flip back and forth to compare the information on those pages. I do not own an electronic reader. I think I might like one, but don't really need it. It might be OK for novels, but for reference books, I think actual books are more effective.

Besides, I like the feel of a book. I like how it weighs in my hands, how the pages feel and look. Maybe in 20 years (or less.... ) these considerations will seem terribly old-fashioned. I understand how electronic books can reference the Internet the same way words or phrases in an on-line article can link to more information. And, that would be handy in many situations. I guess what I'm saying is, I hope electronic readers and books don't replace physical books any time soon.

Why am I writing about this, you might ask? Well, it's because I'd like to share with you some of my favorite books on herbs and herb gardening. It is the holiday season and if you happen to be in the market for a gift for a herb lover of your acquaintance, maybe these selections will aid you in your choices.

BASIC HERB KNOWLEDGE

There are hundreds of books on herbs. Below are some of the ones I own and use to great satisfaction.

The Herb Society of America New Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses by Deni Bown This is an extensive and very complete collection of herbal information. The Herb Catalog section contains a description of the plant itself, country of origin and, in some cases, a bit of the usage. In the next section, The Herb Dictionary, you'll find what the herb is used for, how to grow it, harvest it and a history of usage. Good photos compliment the listings.

Rodale's Encyclopedia of Herbs edited by Claire Kowalchick & William H. Hylton This Encyclopedia is so full of information, it's difficult to describe. The listings give plant and growing info, history, and a host of uses for each herbs. There are sections on planning your herb garden, dyeing with herbs, crafting with herbs and more. This is not a new book, but I always find something new every time I open it to look for something.

Herbs~ Growing and Using the Plants of Romance by Bill and Sylvia Varney The Varney's run the Fredericksburg Herb Farm in Fredericksburg, Texas, located in the Texas Hill Country. The book is warmly written about growing and using herbs. Lots of tidbits of information and recipes can be found in the page margins, aside from the useful information in the more than 50 listings of culinary herbs. There is also sections on planning your herb garden, decorating with herbs, and preserving herbs. Lots of great photographs aid in making this a well worn book in my library.

The Big Book of Herbs by Arthur O. Clark and Thomas DeBaggio More scholarly than some of the other books on this list, this one goes into great detail about all the various cultivars available for each herbs, how to grow the varieties, historical uses as well as the chemistry of each plant. Even though the book is very detailed, it is easy to read and understand. Here's what Jim Long, publisher of many books on herbs says: "Tom DeBaggio and Dr. Art Tucker give us new insight into herbs we thought we knew well. Everything from propagation to the chemistry of herbs is found here, along with precise pronunciation and the origins of each plant. These two highly esteemed experts have brought together expansive and enlightening information from their many years of experience."

Grow Herbs- An inspiring guide to growing and using herbs by Jekka McVicar This is the latest addition to my herb library. It's not a new book and I've admired and looked at it in my local public library. I finally decided to purchase my own copy. Each entry has concise information about propagation, where to plant, maintenance and harvesting and is accompanied by good, clear photographs. 'The Kitchen' Section has lots of good ideas for using fresh and dried herbs in the kitchen.

GROWING HERBS IN THE SOUTHERN US

This section is especially relevant to anyone living along the Southern Gulf Coast in the US. Our weather is very different from the rest of the US. Our temperatures stay in and above the 80's (F) for months on end. The nights do not cool down much. This is very stressful for the plants... not to mention the citizens! This is why much of the growing information about herbs in many herb books is not very helpful to us. During mid summer, there are very few herbs that can handle what is called "Full Sun" on plant tags and in growing information.

Some of the Mediterranean herbs that are well established in beds can handle full sun: rosemary and oregano are two that are next to impossible to kill off. Almost any herb being grown in a container needs afternoon shade during the searing summer months because the soil in a container- even a large container- heats up so much the root system gets so hot, the plant can simply expire.

These books will definitely be of use to anyone who has moved to the South from the Northeast, Midwest or even the West Coast. Our growing conditions and seasons are all our own. If you plan to be a successful southern herb gardener, any of the books in this section will be of help to you.

Southern Herb Growing by Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay If you live and want to grow herbs in Texas, this book is a must-have. Written in 1997 and updated a couple of times since then, it was the first book that really addressed growing herbs in Texas, which many people said "couldn't be done". The book is a wealth of growing information in the Southern climate, when to plant which herb, which ones are easy and which ones are more difficult to get to thrive. It's useful for anyone along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida. There is a Recipe Section with absolutely mouth-watering photographs accompanying each recipe, a section on planning your herb garden, preserving and crafting which makes the book really complete.

Herbs for Texas by Howard Garrett with Odena Brannam Another herb book written by a Texas gardener and plantsman. Howard Garrett is known for his knowledge of growing organically and using all natural means to control plant pests and diseases. He brings this knowledge to the world of herbs in this easy to read and use reference. Good, clear pictures accompany each listing along with some little known facts about many of the herbs.

Growing and Using the Plants of Romance by Bill and Sylvia Varney Mentioned above, this book is excellent for those of us growing herbs in Texas. It's more tailored to The Hill Country for growing information, and is very useful. The Varney's run the Fredericksburg Herb Farm in Fredericksburg, Texas, located in the Texas Hill Country. The book is warmly written about growing and using herbs. Lots of tidbits of information and recipes can be found in the page margins, aside from the useful information in the more than 50 listings of culinary herbs. There is also sections on planning your herb garden, decorating with herbs, and preserving herbs. Lots of great photographs aid in making this a well worn book in my library.

A few other books I'll mention, which you can investigate include:

The Southern Kitchen Garden: Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs and Flowers Essential for the Southern Cook by William D. Adams (Author), Thomas R. LeRoy (Author)

Culpeper's Complete Herbal: Consisting of a Comprehensive Description of Nearly All Herbs with Their Medicinal Properties and Directions from Compounding the Medicines Extracted From Them by Nicholas Culpepper, published in 1649. This book is more of a curiosity, but for those of you who like historical references, this is a fun and interesting book.

A Modern Herbal by Margaret Grieve is a 2 Volume set covering almost any imaginable herb and their uses. Published in 1971, it is a gigantic alphabetical encyclopedia. From aconite to zedoary, it gives botanical information, medical properties, folklore, economic uses and much else. A standard addition to most herb libraries.

Of course there are many, many more books on herbs, herb growing, using herbs, not to mention the myriad of cook books out there. This short list comprises the books I use a lot in my research and gardening. I hope you might find some of them useful.

If you'd like to read an interesting piece called "Turkey Day Herbs And Foods- Old and New", check out the Blog of the Rockport Herb and Rose Study Group.

QUOTE FOR THE MONTH

The tax which will be paid for the purpose of education is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests, and nobles who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance. -Thomas Jefferson, third US president, architect and author (1743-1826)