CHERVIL 



THE ordinary garden Chervil (Choerophyllum bulbosum) 

 is more often grown than the bulbous-rooted form, or 

 what is commonly called the vegetable Chervil. The 

 latter is a hardy biennial and a native of Southern 

 Europe, and in shape not unlike a Parsnip, or as regards 

 size resembles an ordinary Short-Horn Carrot. I need 

 not touch the fine leaved variety ; doubtless this will be 

 described in the work on salads or herbs. It is used for 

 soups, salads, and garnishing. The flavour of the bulbous- 

 rooted form is very distinct from most other vegetables ; 

 the flesh is a yellowish white, rather sweet but not un- 

 pleasant, and more floury than the Parsnip. As an article 

 of food it is well worth a trial in all gardens where 

 variety in vegetables is valued, but the seed requires more 

 time to germinate than many of our common vegetables, 

 and therefore cannot be termed profitable, though the 

 produce from a small piece of land often repays the 

 grower. The best mode of culture, that is to get roots 

 in one season, is to place the seed in the autumn in sand 

 or fine soil in boxes. This placed in a frame or any frost 

 proof position will cause the seeds to germinate quickly 

 when sown in February or March the next season, as it 

 is an easy matter to sow the seed mixed with the soil 

 in drills 15 inches apart, thinning the plants to half that 

 distance in the row. The plant thrives in any ordinary 

 garden soil, and when in full growth soon forms a bulb 

 and is fit for use. The older plan of sowing early in 

 the autumn on an open quarter may be carried out in 

 the southern parts of the country in well-drained soil. It 



