THE KITCHEN GARDEN 249 



milk-soup honne femme, in equal proportion with Sorrel ; 

 also chopped fine and stewed in stock as a vegetable 

 by itself. 



The plants that bloom in umbels are well repre- 

 sented in the kitchen garden — Carrot, Parsnip, and 

 Celery being the most important. The wild Carrot 

 has a very thin root, and strangely enough, though it 

 is the parent of our mild red kitchen friend, it has a 

 poisonous quality. It can always be known among 

 the many wild plants whose flowers so nearly resemble 

 it, by the central little flower of the umbel being of 

 a crimson or purplish colour, all the rest being white. 

 In the late autumn one should keep a watchful eye on 

 the Carrot-bed, because some of the leaves turn to a 

 beautiful red colour, that makes them good to arrange 

 with flowers. 



Among the Umhelliferw of the kitchen garden are 

 also Parsley, Chervil, Fennel, and Angelica. Many of 

 the plants of this tribe have a pungent and aromatic 

 scent and flavour, strongest perhaps in Angelica and 

 in Caraway-seed ; the relationship of scent clearly 

 traceable in Chervil, Celery, and Parsley ; also in that 

 pretty plant, Myrrhis, that for its beauty deserves to 

 be in every garden. It is rather large in size for a 

 plant of spring, and charming with its finely-cut pale- 

 green leaves and really handsome flowers. It is the 

 Sweet Cicely of old English gardens. 



Fennel is so handsome a plant that it is well worth 



