34 GARDENS OF ENGLAND 



recognised as herbs by even the most accomplished 

 gardeners. Culpepper says of the bitter worm- 

 wood, that " being laid among clothes it will make 

 moths scorn to meddle with them." In France 

 there are wide, waving fields of Ariemisia absin- 

 thium, the wormwood from which is brewed the far 

 too fascinating cordial, absinth. 



Fennel, with its strong, queer taste, was once 

 delighted in for flavouring broths, baked fruits, and 

 pippin pies. "A fardynge's worth of fennel-seed 

 for fastyng dayes," was thought a treasure. Tastes 

 must have changed a good deal since those early 

 days. 



Dill is a pretty umbelliferous plant, in flavour an 

 exaggeration of fennel. Its seeds were used to 

 soothe little babies and make them go to sleep. 

 The entire herb was employed in working spells 

 and counter-spells of blackest magic. 



In coriander, too, it is the seeds which "trem- 

 bling hang upon the slightest threads," that are 

 of value. They are compared in Holy Writ 

 to manna. This Eastern herb is naturalised in 

 England and grown for the druggist and con- 

 fectioner. Sometimes, among sugar-plums and 

 caraway comfits, we light on funny little rough 

 pink and white balls that have an odd and 



