CULINARY HERBS 9I 



Italians. Like many other plants, fennel has had 

 a highly interesting career from a medical point of 

 view. But it no longer plays even a *'small part" 

 in the drama. Hints as to its history may be found 

 on page 54. 



Description. — Common garden or long, sweet fen- 

 nel is distinguished from its wild or better relative 

 (F. vulgar c) by having much stouter, taller (5 to 

 6 feet) tubular and larger stems, less divided, more 

 glaucous leaves. But a still more striking differ- 

 ence is seen in the leaf stalks which form a curved 

 sheath around the stem even as far up as the base 

 of the leaf above. Then, too, the green flowers are 

 borne on more sturdy pedicels in the broader um- 

 bels, lastly the seeds are double the size of the wild 

 fennel seeds, ^ or ^ inch long. They are convex 

 on one side, flat on the other, and are marked by 

 five yellowish ribs. Though a French writer says 

 the seed degenerates ''promptly," and recommends 

 the use of fresh seed annually, it will not be wise to 

 throw away any where it is not wanted to ger- 

 minate, unless it is over four years old, as seed as 

 old even as that is said to be satisfactory for 

 planting. 



Cultivation. — In usual garden practice fennel is 

 propagated by seeds, and is grown as an annual 

 instead of as a biennial or a perennial. The plants 

 will flourish in almost any well-drained soil, but 

 seem to prefer light loams of a limy nature. It is 

 not particular as to exposure. The seed may be 

 sown in nursery beds or where the plants are to 

 remain. In the beds, the drills may be 6 inches 



