  Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is an Old World annual of the parsley family. For years the plant has been cultivated in gardens in the United States, and it is now reported as growing wild in many places. The aromatic seeds and the oil distilled from them have long been used medicinally. Both the seed and the oil are also used for flavoring confectionery and cordials and as a condiment in bread and cake. Coriander grows well on almost any good soil, but thrives best on deep and fertile garden loam. The soil should be well prepared before planting, which should be done moderately early in the spring. For field cultivation the seed is sown in rows 3 feet apart, but if the cultivation is done by hand the distance between the rows may be reduced to 18 inches. The seed should be sown thickly in order to insure a good stand. When well up, the plants are thinned to stand 4 or 5 inches apart in the row. Cultivation should continue until the plants flower, which will be about two months from the time of planting. When most of the seeds are ripe the plants are cut with a scythe or mower, preferably early in the morning while moist with dew, in order to avoid shattering the seed. The plants are partially cured in small cocks in the field, the drying being finished in a barn loft or under other suitable shelter, after which the seeds are thrashed out and cleaned. The yield of seed is quite variable, but returns from experimental areas indicate that from 500 to 800 pounds per acre may be expected. Five hundred pounds of seed will usually yield from 1 to 5 pounds of oil, according to the localities where grown. The annual importation of coriander seed is about |
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