Finnochio

Finnochio or Sweet fennel (Fœniculum dulce of Bauhin) is a biennial plant, a native of Italy and Portugal. It differs from common fennel in its dwarfer stature, darker hue, and shorter duration.

Finnochio is sometimes grown in this country. Its seed or fruit, and the essential oil distilled from it, find a place in our pharmacopœias, but are rarely used. Their warm stimulant properties lead to their employment in the flatulent colic of infants.

On the earth underneath is grown a crop of finnochio, or asparagus, or berries.

Francati had filled the cask with fresh water; he had also laid in a supply of finnochio and eggs, so that the dinner we had, after leaving Pæstum, was quite a swell affair.

We are sure that, when Finnochio is better known in northern countries, it will be as much appreciated as Celery.