152 AMERICAN GARDENER. 



meter, and that furnished me with a store of mat- 

 ting ties. The tree was cut in June; the outer 

 bark taken off; and then the mner-bark came off 

 in long flakes, some broad and some narrow, the 

 whole length of the clear trunk, which was about 

 15 feet. I just hung this up to dry ; and that was 

 matting, to be cut into any length, and ready to 

 use for any tie, where much s"vength was not re- 

 quired. The only precautions are : keep the mat- 

 ting in the dry, and when you use it dip, it in wa- 

 ter first for a few minutes, and take it out of the 

 water as you se it. If you have put more into 

 the water than you want for that time, take t out 

 and hang it up in the dry again ; and it will re- 

 ceive no injury. 



221 FENNEL Fennel is a perennial plant ; 

 propa;?; e^i from seed, or from offsets ; and sown, 

 or planted, either in spring or fall. The plants 

 should stand about a foot asunder. It is a tall 

 plai t w.Ui hairy leaves. Its leaves are used in 

 salads, are chopped up fine to put in melted but- 

 ter .aten with fish, they are boiled with fish to 

 give the fish a flavour, and, they are tied round 

 mackarel, particularly when these are broiled, 

 the French, who excel in the cooking of fish, al- 

 ways do this. The leaves, thus broiled, become 

 crisp ; and, they are then of a very fine flavour. 

 In winter, the seed, bruised, give fish the same 

 flavour as the leaves do in summer ; and, to my 

 taste, butter, seasoned with Fennel, is better than 

 any of the fish sauces, bought at the shops. It is 

 a very hardy plant, Two yards square will con- 

 tain enough for any family ; and, once in the 

 ground, it will stand there for an age, or ten ages, 

 as far as I know. . 



