184 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



may be sown in March, in a light rich earth, 

 the second in April, and continued until 

 July, with the same management as celery. 



The common fennel is now but little used 

 for culinary purposes, except as a sauce for 

 mackarel. The French epicures keep their 

 fish in the leaves of fennel, to make them 

 firm. It is also used in France in water- 

 suche, and all fish soups. 



The whole of the plant is good in soup or 

 broth. It was formerly the practice to boil 

 fennel with all fish, and it never would have 

 been discontinued, had its virtues been more 

 generally known; for it consumes the phleg- 

 matic humour, in which most fish abound, 

 and which greatly annoys many persons who 

 are fond of boiled fish. Our fishmongers 

 should at all times have a plentiful supply of 

 this hardy and wholesome herb, every part 

 of which agrees with the stomach. 



It is one of the five opening roots : it is 

 recommended in broth to cleanse the blood, 

 and remove obstructions of the liver, and to 

 clear and improve the complexion after the 

 jaundice, and other sickness. 



The seed is one of the greater carmina- 

 tive seeds; and, boiled in barley- water, is good 



