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Parsley

The foliage of parsley is of use for flavouring soups, etc., besides which it is nutritious and stimulating, a quality which it seems to derive from an essential oil present in every part of the plant. Among the varieties of parsley are: Plain-leaved parsley, which used to be the only sort employed in cooking. It is not much cultivated now, however, the curled varieties being much more elegant; besides--and this is a good reason for avoiding it--it bears a marked resemblance to a poisonous British weed, the bitter hemlock, or fool's parsley. It is well to know that the leaves of fool's parsley are of a darker hue than the genuine article, and that when bruised they emit a very unpleasant odour. When in flower, fool's parsley may also be distinguished by what is popularly termed its head. Curled-leaf parsley--this, both for flavour and appearance as a garnish--is the best sort of parsley. It cannot, too, be mistaken for hemlock, being quite unlike that plant. Parsley is a great favourite with sheep, hares, and rabbits, and is said to give their flesh a fine flavour. Naples parsley, or celery-parsley, is used in place of celery. It is a variety between parsley and celery. Hamburg parsley is cultivated for its roots. These grow as large as small parsnips. When boiled they are very tender, and agreeable to the taste, besides being very wholesome. They are used in soup or broth, or eaten with meat. The cultivation of parsley is extremely simple; an annual sowing is generally made.