A N E 



A N E 



rapidly, and become large roots. In pro- 

 pagating them by roots they should not there- 

 tore be often parted, or into too small 

 parts. 



Double-flowered plants, as they never product- 

 seeds, arc only capable of being propagated by 

 parting their roots, which should be done in 

 March, when they are in flower, care being 

 taken not to separate them into very small 

 heads. They should not be parted oftener than 

 every third or fourth year, as they never thrive 

 or blow well where this is the case. 



These are plants that display much beauty, 

 affording flowers very early in the beginning of 

 the year. The double sorts are the most orna- 

 mental, as the flowers in them are much larger, 

 and continue in blow much longer. These 

 should therefore be placed in the most conspi- 

 cuous situations in the borders or clumps of 

 pleasure-grounds ; but the single kinds deserve 

 places for the sake of variety. 



ANETHUM, a genus comprehending dif- 

 ferent herbaceous annual and perennial plants 

 of the Dill or Fennel kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Pcntandrla 

 Digynia, and ranks in the natural order of Um- 

 bcflatce. 



The characters are : that the calyx has an 

 umbel, universal and partial manifold : the in- 

 volucre neither universal nor partial : the peri- 

 anth proper obsolete : the corolla universal and 

 uniform ; floscules all fertile, proper, five pe- 

 tals, involute, entire, and very short : the sta- 

 mina have capillary filaments and roundish an- 

 thers : the pistillum is a germ inferior : the styles 

 approximating, obsolete: the stigmas obtuse ; no 

 periearpium : the fruit subovate, compressed, 

 striated and bipartite : the seeds are two, sub- 

 ovate, margined, convex, and striated on one 

 side, flat on the other. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . A. graveolevs, 

 Common Dill ; 2. A. focniculum, Fennel. 



In the first tbere is much resemblance to Fen- 

 nel ; but it differs from it in having an annual 

 root, a smaller and lower stem, seldom exceed- 

 ing threequarters of a yard : the leaves being more 

 glaucous, and of a less pleasant smell : the seeds 

 broader, flatter, surrounded with a membrana- 

 ceous rim, and of a less pleasant flavour : the 

 .umbels of flowers yellow, but smaller than those 

 of Fennel. It has a peculiar strong aromatic 

 -smell. It is an annual plant. 



The second species rises in height from three 

 to five or six feet : the stem is upright and very 

 smooth : the leaves finely cut; leaflets capillary': 

 the umbels very large and hollow : the corollas 

 Yellow ; petals equal : the fruit ovate-oblons; : 

 the ge« ds have five ribs on the back . hut no mem- 



brane round the edge as in the Dill. It is a 

 native of Germany. It flowers in July, and 

 the seeds ripen in autumn. 



There are several varieties of this plant, 

 Linnanis mentions four; but Miller has only 

 the three following : Common Fennel ; Sweet 

 Fennel, and Azorcan Fennel, or Finochio. The 

 first variety has a strong fleshy root, which pe- 

 netrates deep into the ground, and will continue 

 several years. It flowers in July, and the seeds 

 ripen in autumn. 



In the second variety the leaves are very long 

 and slender, growing more sparsedly, and do not 

 end in so many points as those of the first sort. 

 The stalks do not rise so high, and the seeds 

 are longer, narrower, and of a lighter colour. 

 Though supposed a variety by some, others have 

 found it always retain its differences under cul- 

 tivation. The' third variety has very short stalks, 

 which swell out just above the surface of the 

 ground, to four or five inches in breadth, and 

 nearly two in thickness, the part being fleshy 

 and tender, so as to be eaten when blanched and 

 prepared as a cold salad. 



If the plants be allowed to run up for seeds, 

 the stems seldom rise higher than a foot and a 

 half in height, having a large spreading umbel 

 on the top. The seeds are narrow, crooked, 

 and of a bright yellow colour : they are very- 

 sweet, and have a strong Aniseed smell. 



Culture. — The propagation of these plants is 

 easilv effected by the seed ; which in the Dill 

 and Finochio must be sown annually, as they 

 only endure one summer. A little space of 

 ground is sufficient for the supply of a family 

 of any of these plants ; but particularly the Fen- 

 nel, as it lasts several years. The)- will succeed 

 in almost any soil or exposure. 



In the Dill, the cultivation may be either in 

 shallow drills, at eight or ten inches asunder, or 

 broad-cast over the surface, the plants being 

 afterwards set out by the hoe to proper distances, 

 as eight or ten inches. The seeds may be sown 

 either in the autumn or spring ; but the former 

 is the best season, as they succeed the best, and 

 grow with the greatest vigour. They require no 

 trouble while growings only to be thinned as 

 above, and kept clear from weeds. The first 

 thinning maybe performed in May, when they 

 are advanced a few inches in height. 



When the seeds begin to be formed, which is 

 mostly about flic hitter end of July, the umbels 

 should be gathered for the purpose of being 

 used in pickles, with encumbers, &c. Wlleie 

 the seeds are wanted they must stand till fully 

 ripened. 



In the Fennel the culture may either be in 

 drills at eighteen or twenty inches apan, or by 



