NEW ASPECTS OF FENNEL CULTIVATION IN FRANCE

Very abundant in Europ, Asia, Mediterranean Africa, it is cultivated since long time in France for its medicinal and aromatic properties. From this wild species, agronomists have isolated three different varieties which differ from each other in their morphologic aspects and their aromatic properties.

1. The dulce fennel or fennel of Provence foeniculum vulgare, under-species capillaceum, variety dulce Mill.
2. The bitter fennel foeniculum vulgare, under-species piperitum, variety vulgare Mill.
3. The bulbous fennel foeniculum vulgare, under-species capillaceum, variety azoricum Mill.

All species and varieties of fennel have secreting glands enclosing essentiel oil more or less abounding in anethol; only the dulce fennel and the bitter fennel are cultivated for their essentiel oil.

The fennel of Florence is cultivated for its bulb which is consumed as a vegetable. Traditionally, the cultivation of these species holds more or less important surfaces in: U.R.S.S., Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, India, Egypt, U.S.A. and France.

From beginning of the century (Farcy, 1903) till 1973, the dulce fennel was the principal variety cultivated in France. Since 1969, the "Institut de Recherches Appliquées aux Boissons" has entered upon studies conducing, on the one hand, to a selection of varieties of high anethol content and, on the other hand, to optimal conditions of cultivation. These works continuing at present have allowed, since 1973, the cultivation on 600 hectare only for the production of anethol.

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