FERULA

a genus of umbelliferous plants, whose species often yield a powerful stimulating gum = resin, employed in medicine. The species are natives of the shores of the Mediterranean and Persia, and are characterized by tall-growing pithy stems, and deeply divided leaves, the segments of which are frequently linear. F. communis of Hnglish gardens is called giant fennel. fF. oriental is and F’. ting it an a are said to yield African ammoniacum, a gum resin like asafetida, but le powerful. FESCEN’‘NINE VERSES, rude Latin yerses in the form of a dialogue between two persons, who satirized and ridiculed each other’s failings and vices with great freedom of speech. They originated in country districts in ancient Italy, but were ultimately introduced into the towns, and formed part of the ceremony at marriages and on other oecasions of festivity. The name is probably derived from fascinum, fascination, although the origin of the verses has been ascribed to the Etruscan town of Fescennia, FESCH (fesh), Joseph, half-brother of Napoleon’s mother, was born at Ajaccio in 1763, died in 1839. He had devoted himself to an ecclesiastical life, but quitted it on the outbreak of the French revolution, and became commi ary of war to the army of the Alps. After the restoration of Catholic. worship he resumed his ecclesiastical status, and became in 1802 Archbishop of Lyons, and next year a cardinal. After the fall of Napoleon he retired to Rome, where he died.