242 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



distinguish the Chervil from other umbelliferous plants, there is 

 a double security in cultivating a form of it for which no noxious 

 wild plant whatever can possibly be mistaken. 



TURNIP-ROOTED CHERVIL 



Chcerophyllum bulbosum^ L. Umbelliferce. Cerfeuil tubereux. 



Native of Southern Europe. — Biennial. — Plant hairy, with leaves 

 very much divided, spreading on the ground, and violet leaf-stalks. 

 Root much swollen, almost like a short Carrot, but generally 

 smaller, with a very fine dark gray skin and yellow-white flesh ; 

 stem very stout and tall, 3 ft. or more in height, swollen below the 

 joints, of a violet tint, and covered on the lower part with long 

 whitish hairs ; seeds long, pointed, slightly concave, light brown on 



one side, whitish on the 

 other, and marked length- 

 ways with three furrows 

 of no great depth. Their 

 germinating power lasts for 

 only one year. 



Culture. — The seed 

 should be sown in autumn, 

 in well-prepared, mellow, 

 well-drained soil, care being 

 taken to cover it very 

 slightly. It is generally 



quite sufficient to press the 



, ■ . soil down well after sowing;. 



Turmp-rooted Chervil (i- natural size). r^^^ seed-bed should be 



kept very free from weeds, as the seeds will not germinate before 

 spring. The seed may also be sown in spring, if the precaution 

 is taken of keeping it in the meantime between layers of sand 

 in a box, basin, or other vessel, in which it should be placed as 

 soon as it is ripe. If this is done, it will germinate immediately 

 after it is sown, but if kept in any other way, it will not 

 germinate until the spring of the following year. While growing, 

 the plants require no attention at any time, except frequent 

 waterings. About July, the leaves begin to lose colour and to 

 dry up, which indicates that the roots are nearly matured. When 

 the leaves are quite withered, the roots may be taken up, if the 

 ground is required for other purposes, but it is better not to com~ 

 mence using them too soon, as they improve very much in quality 

 by being allowed to remain in the ground some weeks or even 

 months, provided they are in well-drained ground and safe 

 from frost. 



