1 92 Commercial Gardening 



biennial, with leaves cut into thread-like segments, and having small yellow 

 flowers. The leaves are used for flavouring, and the seeds are used as a 

 condiment. The plants grow in any garden soil, and are raised from seeds 

 sown in April, the seedlings being thinned out to about 8 in. apart in due 

 course. 



Egrg* Plants or Aubergines. Of late years the fruits of the Aubergine 

 or Egg Plant (Solanum Melongena) have found their way into British 

 markets. Some of the fruits are white and resemble an egg in shape, 

 but others are longer and more club-shaped, and of a deep violet-purple 

 colour. One called "Violette de Tokio" is much favoured in French 

 gardens. Seeds are sown from November onwards in rich gritty soil in 

 a temperature of 70 to 75 F. The seedlings are pricked out 3 or 

 4 in. apart when large enough to handle easily, and are again transferred 

 after three or four weeks to pots by themselves, or are planted in hot- 

 beds over which 6 to 8 in. of sandy loam and leaf soil, or well-decayed 

 manure, has been spread. Each plant is allowed about 2 to 2J sq. ft. in 

 the frames, and care is taken to protect them from frost at night. The 

 tip of the main shoot is pinched out to secure a branching habit; when 

 the four or five side shoots have grown sufficiently long, they also have the 

 tips pinched out. All further growths are suppressed as they appear, and 

 each plant is allowed to mature from ten to twelve fruits. The crop is 

 finished in four or five months from the date of sowing. The fruits are 

 served in various ways. "In Provence the fruit is cut longitudinally in 

 two, and the seeds and spongy substance surrounding them are taken out. 

 The two halves are then placed on the gridiron, with the cut faces upwards, 

 and whilst roasting, the flesh is soaked with fine salad oil or fresh butter, 

 applied a little at a time, a sufficiency of pepper and salt being added. 

 Some augment the flavour with parsley, anise, or other aromatic herbs; 

 others place an anchovy or a pilchard between the two pieces. The great 



difficulty in cooking is to avoid the 

 flavour of smoke; with this object in 

 view the fruit is sometimes cooked be- 

 tween two plates. Another mode of 

 preparation consists in peeling the fruit, 

 placing it in a frying-pan, scoring it 

 across and across, filling the incisions 

 with fine Florence oil, and then sprink- 

 ling with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 

 grated bread. When half-cooked, a little 

 aromatic vinegar, is poured over the 

 fruit, which is then served garnished 

 with parsley or chervil." The Gar- 



Fig. 506.-Florence or Finnochio Fennel dener S Assistant. 



Fennel (Fosniculum vulgar e). This 



South European perennial grows about 5 ft. high, and is known by its 

 green thread-like leaves, the stalks of which are dilated to clasp the hollow 



