162 MARKET GARDENING. 



and dressed with an ammoniacal fertilizer, dried fish, 

 marl or guano, the furrows closed and the seed drilled 

 on top after smoothing down. The young plants should 

 be cut out to ten inches apart. The plant is quite 

 hardy, the roots resisting the effects of frost for a long 

 time ; very useful for sheep feeding in winter. There 

 are three leading sorts, viz. : 



Purple. — A variety having a blue purple skin. 



White Vienna. — Very choice— smooth light green 

 skin. Very few and very small leaves. 



Large Green.— Large bulb, green skinned. Leafy. 



The Parskip. 



The original of the cultivated parsnip is found 

 growing wild in England, the root white, aromatic, 

 mucilaginous, sweet, and possessing a degree of acridity 

 which it loses by cultivation. 



In our experiments in search of facts to be used for 

 our own advantage in stock feeding, and to be commun- 

 icated for public good, we have, from time to time, 

 raised the parsnip for the purpose of feeding to a herd 

 of Channel Island cattle, but the results have not con- 

 vinced us of the economy, in comparison with other 

 roots, for horned cattle. There is this advantage, how- 

 ever ; the parsnip never rots when stored, and if work 

 presses, may be left out over winter so far north as Phil- 

 adelphia without loss, thus reserving this special crop 

 for spring feeding. 



Bloomsdale. — A selection from the Hollow 

 Crowned, shorter, thicker, easier to take all out of the 

 ground, and producing more tons to the acre. 



Sugar, or Cup. — An old variety, longer and slim- 

 mer than the Bloomsdale, the variety usually sold. It 

 is said that the excellence claimed for Cuernsey hams is 

 attributable to the parsnip, which is a prominent food 

 for the hog of that island ; it may be well for some one 



