HARVESTING OF CORIANDER. 445 



operation. When the young plants have made a little 

 growth, they should be set out at about the same distances 

 in the rows, and the field left provided with surface 

 drains "grips" to carry off any surplus water during 

 the winter. Early in the spring the horse-hoe should be 

 sent in between the rows to give the soil a good stirring, 

 and to keep down the weeds; hand-hoeing between the 

 plants in the drills will also be necessary for the same 

 purpose. 



At the end of June or the beginning of July, the flowers 

 make their appearance, and in about another month the 

 crop is ready for harvesting. Great care is required in 

 the operation, as the seed very readily parts from the 

 stem and diminishes the produce. The stems are cut 

 with hooks, and then laid gently on the stubbles until 

 quite dry and ready for thrashing, which is generally per- 

 formed on the field with the flail in the manner described 

 (p. 310, vol. i.) in treating of the turnip seed. The straw 

 has no value, and is generally collected in heaps and 

 burned on the field, and the ashes distributed over the 

 surface. The produce and its market price are subject to 

 considerable variation from 10 to 20 cwts. to the acre 

 may be taken as the range under the ordinary circum- 

 stances of cultivation. The consumption of coriander seed 

 is limited to articles of confectionary or condimental 

 purposes. 



The CARAWAY CARUM CARUI is an umbelliferous 

 plant of biennial duration, with a long tapering root, 

 which penetrates deep into the soil like the parsnip. 

 From this root there rises in the second year a striated 

 farrowed stem, from 24 to 30 inches high, with spreading 

 branches, clothed by numerous leaves finely divided, of a 

 deep green colour, and on the end of a broad almost 

 sheathing stalk. The head is composed of the well- 

 marked umbels of the family; the flowers are of a pinkish 



