PARSLEY. 215 



The garden parsley with curled leaves is a native 

 of Sardinia, bordering on the coast of Italy. It was 

 not cultivated in this country until the year 154-8. 

 It is a most useful and pleasant vegetable, and was 

 formerly considered of service in dropsies and va- 

 rious other complaints, but is now seldom used for 

 this purpose, except in Holland, where the large- 

 rooted sorts are in much esteem. 



Parsley is in considerable demand for culinary 

 purposes, and forms a common and beautiful 

 garnish to most cold meats. It should always 

 be brought to table when any dish is introduced 

 strongly seasoned with onions, as it both takes off 

 the smell, and prevents the after-taste of that strong 

 root. It is a well-known seasoning herb, and com- 

 municates an agreeable flavour to soups and stews. 



The following recipe may be of use to preserve 

 parsley for the seasoning of meats, &c., when five 

 shillings are asked for a very small quantity ; and 

 which is often the case in very severe seasons, 



To preserve parsley for the above purpose, let it 

 be gathered on a dry day, and immediately put into 

 a tinned roasting screen, and placed close to a large 

 fire, where it will soon become brittle ; it may then 

 be rubbed fine, and put into glass bottles for use. 



Culture. Parsley being so very valuable an 

 article in the garden, and especially the curled sort, 

 much care is necessary to keep it true. This can 

 only be done by rouging, an appellation given by 

 seed growers, who value their stock and character ; 

 and to their credit their warranted stock may be 

 relied on. 



Parsley is generally sown in drills round the 

 p 4 



