CORIANDER. PARSNIP. 79 
88. CORIANDER is a small globular seed, produced by an 
annual umbelliferous plant (Coriandrum sutivuui), with leaves 
in slender segments, and small whltishJlowerS) that grows wild in 
Suffolk and Essex, and is cultivated in several parts of England. 
In several farms in Essex and Kent the cultivation of 
coriander is pursued to considerable extent. This is 
done solely for the seed, which is used by distillers, 
druggists, and confectioners. In some parts of the 
North of Europe it is ground and mixed with dough ? 
to give an aromatic flavour to bread. 
Coriander is usually grown with teasel (53) and car- 
away (91); but, as neither of the latter come to per- 
fection until the second year after they have been sown, 
the coriander is harvested without interfering with the 
other crops. In this labour, which usually commences 
about the beginning of July, women and children are 
principally employed : and, to prevent the seeds of the 
largest and best plants from being shed and lost, each 
stem is cut separately. The stems are then carried into 
some convenient part of the field, and threshed all 
together upon a sail cloth. 
So luxuriantly, and, at the same time, so abundantly 
does this plant grow in a wild state, in some of the 
southern parts of Europe, as almost to choke the growth 
of wheat and other grain. Every part of it, except the 
seed, has a fetid and disagreeable smell. The seeds, 
when taken in large quantities, have been considered 
injurious ; but Dr. Withering states, that he has known 
six drams of them taken without any remarkably 
effect. 
89. PARSNIP is the root of an umbelliferous plant (Pasti- 
naca sativa), with winged, and serrated leaves, and small yellow 
Jlowers, which is cultivated in kitchen gardens, and which also 
grows wild on the borders of ploughed fields in several parts of 
England. 
The wild and cultivated parsnips differ much from 
each other, but particularly in the roots of the latter 
being large and succulent, and those of the former 
being slender and woody. 
