Caraway, the Common, or Carum carui, L. is an indigenous biennial plant, propagated from seeds, which ought to be sown in autumn ; it blows in the second year, and decays a short time after the seeds are ripe. This plant furnishes a wholesome and agreeable food to goats, swine, and sheep, but is refused by cows and horses. The young roots are said to be more delicious than parsnips, and the tender leaves may be boiled with pot-herbs.

Bechstein asserts, that cara-way, if carefully transplanted into a richer soil, produces roots not inferior to those of the scorzonera, both in taste and utility : they also afford a very agreeable pickle, when preserved in vinegar, sugar, etc.

On account of their aromatic smell, and warm, pungent taste, the seeds of caraway may be classed among the finest stomachics and carminatives of our climate. To persons afflicted with flatulency, and liable to colics, if administered in proper quantities, they generally afford considerable relief, and may sometimes be used with advantage in tertian agues.

Caraway seeds, when finely pounded, spread on bread and butter, with a small quantity of ginger and salt, and eaten every morning and evening, have been found to be an excellent remedy against hysterics ; unless this complaint arise from improper diet, acrid humors, bile, passion, etc. They are likewise used in cakes, and, when in-crusted with sugar, are called car-away-comfits: Besides these multifarious purposes, caraway-seeds are distilled with spirituous liquors, on account of their flavour; but they produce a noxious, heating oil, which renders those liquors far more pernicious to health, than they are even in a pure state.