170 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAMES FENNEL 



It grows wild in South Europe, Egypt, and Syria, in whicli 

 countries it is also cultivated for its seeds, wliicli are strongly 

 aromatic. In India they are used for putting with wooUen 

 goods to keep away insects. In Palestine and Egypt they are 

 frreatly used for flavouring curries, and spread over cakes like 

 comfits. The Egyptian ladies use them to produce stoutness, 

 considered by them to be a point of beauty. The seeds are 

 the Fitches of Scripture. Tliis species and iV". damascena are 

 cultivated in gardens, and known by the vulgar name of 

 Devil-in-a-bush. 



Fennel, Giant [Ferula communis), a tall perennial of the 

 Carrot family (Umbelliferse), native of Southern Europe, the 

 stem often attaining a height of 8 to 10 feet, and a diameter 

 of 2 to 3 inches, having finely-divided compound leaves and 

 umbels of yellow flowers. The stems are full of white pith, 

 which when dry ignites like tinder, and is used in Sicily and 

 other parts as such. When once ignited it burns very slowly, 

 and without injury to the tube of the stem. It is used for 

 preserving and carrpng fire from place to place. Tliis custom 

 is of great antiquity, and serves to explain the passage in 

 Hesiod, where, speaking of the fire Prometheus stole from 

 heaven, he says " he brought it in a Ferula." The stems are 

 very light, and Bacchus, the God of Wine, recommended that 

 his votaries should carry them, so that if they quarrelled from 

 the effects of too much wine, they could strike one another 

 without inflicting injury. F. dulcc is considered to be a variety 

 of the preceding, but differs from it in the radical leaf-stalk being 

 swollen, thick, and becoming united, thus forming a kind of 

 tuber, which is used extensively in France and Italy as a culi- 

 nary vegetable under the name of Finocchio or Finicho. It is 

 not much cultivated in this country, but is sometimes to be 

 seen in the vegetable markets in London. 



Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-groccum), an annual similar 

 in habit to Lucerne, and belonging to the same family (Legu- 

 minosse), native of Southern Europe, Egypt, and Western Asia. 

 Its seeds have a strong odour, and were used in medicine by the 



