CULINARY HERBS 87 



necessary. The plants mature in about two months, 

 when the stems are cut and dried in the shade. (See 

 page 28.) The seeds are used in India as an in- 

 gredient in curry powder, in France for flavoring 

 pickles, pastry and soups. 



Dill (Anethum graveolens, Linn.), a hardy annual, 

 native of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea re- 

 gions, smaller than common fennel, which it some- 

 what resembles both in appearance and in the flavor 

 of the green parts, which are, however, les§ agree- 

 able. 



In ancient times it was grown in Palestine. The 

 word translated, "anise" in Matthew xxiii, 23, is said 

 to have been "dill" in the original Greek. It was 

 well known in Pliny's time, and is often discussed 

 by writers in the middle ages. According to Ameri- 

 can writings, it has been grown in this country for 

 more than 100 years and has become spontaneous 

 in many places. 



Description. — Ordinarily the plants grow 2 to 2j^ 

 feet tall. The glaucous, smooth, hollow, branching 

 stems bear very threadlike leaves and in midsummer 

 compound umbels with numerous yellow flowers, 

 whose small petals are rolled inward. Very flat, 

 pungent, bitter seeds are freely produced, and un- 

 less gathered early are sure to stock the garden 

 with volunteer seedlings for the following year. 

 Under fair storage conditions, the seeds continue 

 viable for three years. They are rather light; a 

 quart of them weighs about 1 1 ounces, and an ounce 

 is said to contain over 25,000 seeds. 



