HORTICULTURE. 



275 



K.. fr. 



i. . '.:\U::. 



r ar>: .-. 



more cultivated in gardens than it is at present. The 

 young leaves, however, are still sometimes put in soups, 

 snd frequently form an ingredient in salads. 



It may be right to mention, that care should be ta- 

 ken to distinguish between this and the rough chervil, 

 ( Scandijc Attlhrucut, ) which is a common deniacn of 

 oar way side*, and not a wholesome plant. The seeds 

 of the wild species are rough or prickly, while those of 

 garden chervil are smooth. While the plants are only 

 in leaf, they may be distinguished by those who are no 

 botanists by the smell ; the leaves of garden chervil, 

 when rubbed, emitting pleasant scent ; while the smell 

 of the wild kind is disagreeable. Chervil is much re- 

 lished in Holland ; and it u said, that some of the Dutch 

 soldiers brought into this country to repress the rising 

 in favour of the Stuarts, perished by using our wild 



C 



The seeds of garden chervil are sown in autumn, 

 soon after they have ripened, commonly in shallow 

 drills, about eight inches apart. They quickly come 

 up, remain during winter, and are fit for use very early 

 in the spring. Chervil may be repeatedly cut like |>ar- 

 sley. It may also be sown in spring or summer ; but 

 at these seasons it almost immediately runs to flower. 

 If a few plants be left uncut, they will afford plenty of 

 seed in the end of July. There is a very beautiful va- 

 riety cultivated in the I'aris gardens, with finely frixiled 

 learn. 



386. Pttrttant ( Portulaca oleraeea ; Dodecandria 

 Monofyni* ; PortuUctte, Jus*. ; Ponrpier of the French ) 

 i* an annual plant, a native of the East. It ha* a r. 

 jmooth rather procumbent stem, and diffused branches ; 

 the leave* *omewhat wedge-shaped and fleshy ; the 

 flower* yellow, and tearilr. Purslane was well known 

 in England at least a* early a* the middle of the 1 Oth 

 century. The young shoot* and succulent leave* are 

 the part* used. They were formerly much more in 

 request for salads and pickle*, and as pot- herb*, than 

 they are at present. 



-re are two varieties, the Green and the Golden, 

 the principal difference consisting in the colour, but the 

 ibnnW being rather the mure hardy. Purslane require* 

 a warm situation, and a rich light soil It is sown any 

 time from May to Julj. n his " Kalendar," 



peaks of cowing it in the open border in the end of 

 March ; but thi* may be canatdervd a* an oversight, 

 the time being much too early. The seed is very small, 

 and attention is necesury to the sowing of it thinly. In 

 dry weather, it i* proper to water the young plant* at 

 night two or three time* a week. \Viththiscaretheywill 

 be three or four inches high, and ready for cutting, in 

 the space of six week*. Purslane when cut over spring* 

 again, and it may be repeatedly cut When thus taken 

 young, it is of a cold and tender nature, and form* a 

 pleasant salad. If it be wanted earlier than June, it roust 

 be raued on a hot-bed, and planted out toward the end 

 f April. If a few of the earliest and ttronge* plants 

 l>e left, they vx>n run to flower ; and in warm season* 

 they ripen their seed* ; but imported seed i* always to 

 to be had in the shops, and it keep* good for several 

 years. 



Fennel. 



367- Ftnmtl (Anetkum Frniculum, I..; Penlandria 

 ; nat. ard. UmbtUifrra) i* a perennial plant, 



which, though not an original native, is now so com- 

 pletely naturalized in several parts of England.that it has 

 been admitted into the British Flora by Sir J. E. Smith, pn^ 

 and figured in " F.nglish Botany," 1 1208. Fennel or 

 tinckle has long been an inmate of our gardens. Its 

 finely cut leaves and capillary leaflets make it an orna- 

 mental plant, especially when strong, rising perhaps to 

 the height of five or six feet. Three varieties are cul- 

 tivated ; the dark green leaved, the sweet fennel, and fi- 

 nochio or Azorian fennel. The tender stalks of com. 

 mon fennel are used in salads ; and the leaves boiled 

 enter into many fish sauces. The blanched stalks of 

 finochio are eaten with oil, vinegar, and pepper, as a 

 cold salad ; and they are likewise sometimes put into 

 soups. 



Common fennel will grow in any soil or situation. 

 It may be propagated either by parting the roots, or by 

 seeds. The seeds should be sown in autumn soon after 

 they are ripe. A few plants are sufficient for a family, 

 and they endure for many successive years. 



Finochio is a dwarfisjl variety, characterized by a ten- Finochi*. 

 dency in the stalk to swell to a considerable thickness. 

 This thickened part is blanched by heaping earth 

 again.-t it, and is then very tender. As the plant grows 

 rapidly, and the swoln stem is best when young and 

 tender, several successive sowings arc requisite, at least 

 where the article is much in request Owing to the 

 peculiar nat unr of this variety, it is more tender than 

 the common fennel, and often perishes in the < 



Milled by this circumstance, several hor- 

 ticultural writers describe it as an annual species. 



Dill. 



388. Dill (Aitrthitm grmeoltnt, L.) is oiennial out. 

 plant, a native of the com field* in S|>aiit and Portugal. 



It has long been cultivated in our gardens as an aro- 

 matic and carminative, and the leaves were formerly 

 used in soups and sauce* ; Imt the plant is now *carce- 

 ployed, unless that the needs are sometimes added 

 to cucuuilx r pickles. In order to ensure a crop, the 

 seeds should be *own when they ripen in autumn. 1 1 

 some plants be allowed to scatter their *eeds, plenty of 

 seedlings will rise in the spring. 



Frenth mmd Common Sorrel. 



Sor'rtl (Rama; IlnanJiin Trwnia ; TW 

 Jus*. ; (iteille of the French) is of diif, -r.-nt kind*. 



389. Frtnck torrrl ( R. icnlafm t L.) 11 a perennial French 

 plant, native of France and Italy ; it wa cultivated ionel - 

 in England before the middle of the 17th century, and 



HIW common. The leaves are somewhat cordate 

 or hastate, but blunt or rounded, and entire ; glaucous, 

 smooth, soft, and flehy ; the stems rite from a foot to 

 a foot and a half high. It is Kjmctiines called Roman 

 sorrel ; and, from the breadth and bluntnes* of the 

 leave*, gardeners often dirtinguish it by the name of 

 Round-leaved sorrel ; our native species being their 

 Long-leaved sorrel. The acid is considered as more 

 grateful than that of common sorrel, and the leaves an 

 more succulent ; it is therefore preferred for kitchen 

 use. The plant runs at the root, and is in this way 

 easily propagated. It grows bet hi a light sandy soil ; 

 and the plant* are placed about a foot apart. The only 

 attention it requires is the catting off of the flower-stems 

 and branches in July, so that ntw leave* may push out 

 for autumn use. In three or four years, however, the 

 plants generally give indication* of decay ; and new 



