514 
THE FENNEL. 
out-door crop may be sown towards the middle 
of February, earlier or not as the season may 
promise. But if all the crops are grown out 
of doors, then the first sowing should he made 
on a light well-prepared and sheltered border, 
as early as the weather permits, and the beds 
must be protected with litter uutil all danger 
from frost is past. Lettuces, onions, and 
carrots are generally sown with them — some- 
times one, two, or all the sorts together, in 
order to make the most of the situation. As 
«oon as the weeds are troublesome they must 
be pulled up by hand ; and if carrots are 
mixed with the radishes, a careful thinning of 
all should be made as soon as they get into 
the rough leaf. Continuous sowings of radishes 
should be made, at first about a fortnight 
apart, and in the summer every week, in 
order to keep up a supply of young and tender 
roots. An excellent place to grow radishes 
in hot weather is in the trenches between 
asparagus beds. The ground should be dug 
up lightly, plenty of rotten dung being dug 
in, and the seed sown and watered, and well 
attended to in that respect afterwards. The 
tall stems of the asparagus affords the young 
plants a most serviceable shade. 
The autumn radishes should be sown in 
July, in a well-prepared piece of ground. 
Continue to water if the weather keep dry, as, 
if the plants get stunted in a young state, 
they will hardly recover themselves after- 
wards. When in the rough leaf, thin them 
out to about six inches apart, and keep them 
free from weeds. If any of the sorts are 
wanted for winter use, take them up before 
the frost spoils them, and store them in sand 
in the same way as carrots. 
THE FENNEL AND ALLIED PLANTS. 
The Fennel (Fceniculum officinale or Ane- 
ihum Fceniculum) occurs in such abundance 
on chalky cliffs, and similar places, especially 
in the south of England, as to render it diffi- 
cult to believe it to be only a naturalized plant. 
Its uses as an ingredient in sauces, and for 
garnishing, are well known. 
The varieties are trifling, except the last. 
They are chiefly the result of colour, as the 
common, green, or sweet, the dark green, and 
the red, the latter having a reddish or crimson 
tinge in . the young leaf-stalks and leaves, 
sometimes retaining the colour tlirough the 
season. The last variety is the Fi?wchio of 
the Italians, the swelling-stalk and leaf-stalks 
of which are blanched, and eaten in various 
ways on the continent. By many this has been 
described as a distinct and annual species, but it 
■is now considered only a variety of the common. 
The common fennel being a strong growing 
perennial, attaining the height of six feet, and 
the root lasting in a serviceable state several 
years, it should be sown or planted in a 
corner where it need not be disturbed, or 
at the end of the perennial herb border where 
it will not shade other things. The seed should 
be sown in well dug ground in March or 
April ; if in rows, from twelve to eighteen 
inches apart, and the plants should be thinned 
out to stand six or nine inches apart in the 
rows. Little, after attention is needed, except 
to keep the ground clear of weeds, and to dig 
between the plants, adding a little dung, in 
early spring. Fennel is easily forced when 
necessary, by potting up a few plants, and 
placing them in a gentle heat. If necessary 
the old plants will divide when three years 
old, and they may be so increased, but when 
this is desirable it is better to let one plant 
perfect its seed the previous season, and sow 
in the following spring, destroying the old 
plants when the young ones are strong enough 
to supply their place. 
The finochio is much more tender than the 
common fennel, and where it is in request, a 
sowing should be made, every year in order to 
have a good succession. The sowing and cul- 
ture is nearly the same as above, only that as 
the thick succulent flower-stems and leaf-stalks 
are the parts here wanted, a richer ground 
and finer tilth should be here maintained, and 
the crop should be regularly watered in dry 
weather. When once a good stock of plants 
is on hand, this vegetable may be had every 
day in the year, if wanted — from January until 
ready in the open ground by blanching and 
forcing, like sea-kale or rhubaa-b ; by merely 
blanching or earthing up when it begins to 
grow in the open ground ; and then when the 
season is too far advanced, and the first stems 
have got woody, by cutting them down, and 
blanching the fresh growth, until the frost 
checks the operation, when the first method 
comes into play again. It will, of course, 
be always better to use the blauching-pot, than 
to merely mould the plants up ; as, indepen- 
dent of its neater look, it keeps the vegetable 
clean, and fitter for use. Finochio is highly 
esteemed in Italy, raw as a salad by itself, and 
also cooked in various ways. 
DILL. 
The Dill (Anethmn graveolens) is a native 
of the south of Europe, near the shores of the 
Mediterranean, and is said to have been in- 
troduced to this country in 1570. The scent 
of the plant is very aromatic ; it is very simi- 
lar to the fennel in appearance, but is smaller 
in every respect. It flowers in June in its 
second year's growth, being a biennial. It is 
used in various soups, sauces, and pickles, but 
not so much so as formerly, although still a 
good deal used in mediiine. 
