VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION AND CULTURE. 449 



Elecampane {Inula Eelenium) is a native of England 

 and Japan. It is a Composite-flowered, perennial plant, 

 cultivated for its thick, fleshy, carrot-like root, which is 

 useful as an aromatic tonic and expectorant. Cut up fine 

 and fed with their corn, the root is a great relief to the 

 distemper in horses. 



It is propagated by offsets, or by parting the roots in 

 autumn or spring, but may also be grown from seeds 

 sown in the fall. It likes a moist soil, and the plants 

 should be fifteen inches apart. 



Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a hardy, aromatic, per- 

 ennial, Umbelliferous plant from the south of Europe, 

 growing wild on the banks of rivers and perhaps quite as 

 properly belongs to the culinary as to the medicinal de- 

 partment of the garden. It has a finely divided leaf, and 

 tall, umbel-bearing stems, crowned with small yellow 

 flowers. 



Culture. — Fennel will grow in almost any soil. It is 

 propagated by offsets, parting the roots, or by seed; all 

 which modes may be successfully practiced at any time 

 in autumn or spring. 



The best season, however, for sowing the seed is when 

 it ripens in the fall. The seed may be sown moderately 

 thick in drills (which should be twelve inches apart) 

 about half an inch deep, and the earth pressed upon them. 

 When the young plants are four or five inches high, thin 

 them out to twelve inches. Those taken up may be 

 planted out to enlarge the bed. Water them freely, if 

 the weather is dry. Keep the plants free from w T eeds, 

 which is all the cultivation required. If the seed is not 

 desired, the stems should be cut down as often as they 

 run up; for if allowed to ripen seed, the old plants will 

 last but a few years. But this is of little consequence, as 

 plenty of self-grown seedlings will be ready to take their 

 place. Eight or ten roots are enough for any family. It 



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