THE FENNEL. 107 



FENNEL. 



Fceniculum vulgare. 

 (Anethum foeniculum of LINN.) 



Welsh, Ffenigl. French, Fenouil. German, Fenchel. 

 Spanish, Hinojo. Italian, Finocchio, or Finocchino. 

 Dutch, Fenekell. 



LINN^EAN. NATURAL. 



Pentandria, Umbettiferce. 



Digynia. 



" MIRIE it is, in time of June, 



"When fenil hangith abrode in toun ;" 



Thus says the old English romance, as given by Ellis ; 

 and though doubtless the custom of hanging it in 

 the streets was partly observed on account of the 

 fresh and pretty green of the fennel-leaves, yet, as I 

 have already shewn, in speaking of the plant last de- 

 scribed, it possessed a greater charm from the sup- 

 posed power of the plant to keep off evil spirits, and 

 other such "bugges." In the south of France it 

 is usual, in addition to placing it over the doors, to 

 strew it around the bed, and to lay it under the 

 pillow, especially on the eve of St. John.* 



The fennel is a British plant, growing plentifully 



* " It is to be hoped that she has made an ample provision 

 of fennel to lay under her bed's head, and in her oratory, to 

 counteract the evil influence of the Brouches," i. e., the witches 

 or sorcerers of the Beam, says M. Bade, in his tale of " The 

 Cagot," as translated by Lady Chatterton. 



