186 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



this herb hath the singular property of cleans- 

 ing our sight, and taking away the film or 

 web from our eyes : he adds, that the only 

 time to obtain the juice is when the stalk is 

 nearly full grown : it was administered with 

 honey. 



Induced by these observations, the author 

 planted fennel on a bank in his shrubbery, 

 where he had frequently seen snakes ; but for 

 want of that time and caution, which it re- 

 quires to watch these reptiles, he has never 

 seen them bite this herb, but has often found 

 the stalks not only wounded, but eaten near- 

 ly half through, either by these, or some 

 other animals. 



The Romans drank the seeds of fennel in 

 wine, as a remedy for the sting of scorpions 

 or serpents. They considered this vegetable 

 as a sovereign remedy for the liver. The 

 root boiled in wine was esteemed for the drop- 

 sy, as were the seeds for the stone and gravel. 



Petridtus, in his work entitled Ophiaca, 

 Mycton, in his treatise named Rhizotomu- 

 mena, and Nicander, maintain, that there is 

 not a better counterpoison against the venom 

 of serpents than wild fennel. 



In putrid fevers, attended with a malig- 



