Fennel (_Foeniculum vulgare_) is an Old World perennial plant of the
parsley family, occasionally cultivated as a garden herb in the United
States. The aromatic seeds (fruits) are used in medicine and for
flavoring. The oil distilled from the seeds is used in perfumery and
for scenting soaps.
Fennel grows wild in mild climates in almost any good soil and thrives
in rich, well-drained loams containing lime. It is propagated from
seeds, which may be sown in the open as soon as the ground is ready
for planting in the spring. The seed is sown thickly In drills 2 to 3
feet apart and covered lightly. From 4 to 5 pounds of seed should sow
an acre. When well established the plants may be thinned to stand 12 to
15 inches apart in the row. Plants may also be started in a seed bed
from seed sown either in drills 6 inches apart or broadcast. When the
seedlings are three or four inches high they are transplanted to the
field and set 12 to 15 inches apart in rows. The cultivation is the
same as for ordinary garden crops.
Frequently, very little seed is formed the first year, but full crops
may be expected for one or two succeeding years. The seed is gathered
in the fall before it is fully ripe and may be harvested like anise
or coriander. A yield of 600 to 800 pounds of seed, per acre may be
expected. During recent years about 275,000 pounds of seed have been
imported annually. Owing to the war, prices for the seed and oil have
about doubled. The prices in June, 1920, for the seed were 11 to 12
cents a pound; for the oil, $2.75 to $3 a pound.