PARSNIP 



231 



THE PARSNIP FAMILY (Order Umbelliferae) 



The Parsnip Family is made up of herbaceous plants 

 some of which are aromatic and others are acid-narcotic 

 poisons. The flowers are small and generally arranged 

 in compound umbels; no calyx, but instead often have 

 five minute teeth; five petals, five stamens, and two pistils. 

 The dry fruit usually splits into two parts, and the seed 

 of most species has oil tubes. 

 The leaves are alternate and 

 more commonly compound 

 or decompound. Besides 

 the parsnip, parsley, carrot, 

 and celery, whose cultural 

 directions are here given, 

 the family includes dill, 

 anise, caraway, coriander, 

 and fennel, which are de- 

 scribed under the head of 

 garden herbs. 



PARSNIPS (Pastinaca saliva) 



Description. Native of 

 Europe. A biennial. Cul- 

 tivated for its long, tender 

 root. Seeds are light brown 

 in color, flat, and marked 

 with five raised lines or 

 ridges. The seed stalks are three to five feet high and 

 have large umbels of greenish flowers. 



Culture. The parsnip is grown in the same manner as 

 the carrot, but is rather more particular about the soil on 

 which it grows. Then, too, in manuring the land for this 



Fig. 96. Parsnip plant in flower. 



