230 AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



A. R. 



Silica, ... . 1.19 4.10 



Phosphoric acid - 8.55 18.66 



Sulphuric acid, - - 6.55 6.50 



Carbonic acid, - 17.30 



Lime, - 8.83 11.43 



Magnesia, 3.96 9.94 



Peroxide of iron, - - 1.10 



Potash, - - 32.44 36.12 



Soda, - -13.52 3.11 



Chloride of sodium, - 6.50 5.54 



Phosphate of iron, - - - 3.71 



504. Dr. Voelcker {Jour. Royal Agricultural Society of England, Vol. 

 xiii, p. 395,) thus compares the white carrots and parsnips toy ether : 

 1. There is a general resemblance in the composition of both roots. 2. 

 Parsnips contain less sugar than carrots, the deficiency of which is re 

 placed by starch, not occurring m carrots. 3 1 . Carrots con tain an average 

 of 12 per cent, of solid substances, parsnips 18 per cent. Thus parsnips 

 will be found much more nutritious than carrots. 4. The flesh-forming 

 constituent of parsnips is greater than that of carrots. Parsnips are 

 about as rich in albuminous compounds as mangolds. Thus fresh 

 parsnips contain 1.30 per cent, and dry, 7.25 per cent of flesh forming 

 constituents ; the above carrots, fresh, 0612 per c nt, and dry, 5.46 

 per cent, of the same. Parsnips also contain more nitrogen in the form 

 of ammoniacal salts. 5. Parsnips contain a double proportion ot fatty 

 matters. 6. The difference in the relative proportions ot cellular fibre in 

 both roots is very great. The cellular fibre, occurring in carrots, par 

 snips, turnips, mangolds, &amp;lt;fcc., must not be regarded as useless in the 

 animal economy ; for there can be little doubt that the soft and young 

 fibres of these roots are readily converted in the stomach of animals into 

 gum and sugar,, arid applied in the system to feed the respiration, or for 

 the formation of fat. 7. Parsnips possess greater value than white Bel 

 gian carrots as a feeding or fattening material. Parsnips are, indeed 

 very valuable as an article of food ; they are liked by cattle, and highly 

 esteemed by Continental farmers for fattening stock. Moreover they 

 stand the frost better than any other root-crop cultivated in England. 



505. Carrots require greater care in cultivation, than any 

 other plant of the sort. The soil must be light, sandy, rich, and 

 fertile to the depth of at least a foot, to produce good crops. 

 Freedom from weeds is also very essential, as- the young plant 



