SCORZONERA. 89 



sown too early, as in long, warm, and dry seasons, the plants 

 are liable to flower and seed, which impairs or destroys the 

 value of the roots. After thoroughly stirring the soil, and 

 raking the surface clear of stones and lumps of earth, sow 

 the seeds in drills fifteen inches apart, and half an inch deep. 

 Thin the plants to six inches in the lines, cultivate in the 

 usual form, and in October the roots will be ready for use. 

 Su,ch as are required for the table during winter, should be 

 taken up and stored as salsify ; the remainder may be left in 

 the open ground, as the parsnip and other hardy biennial 

 roots, and in spring, when the frost will admit, drawn as 

 required for use. 



To raise Seed. Allow a few well-grown plants to remain 

 in the ground during winter ; or select a few good-sized 

 roots from those harvested in autumn, and reset them in 

 April, about eighteen inches apart, covering them to the 

 crowns. The seed will ripen at the close of the summer or 

 early in autumn. Seed saved from plants of the growth of 

 two seasons is considered best ; that produced from yearling 

 plants being greatly inferior. 



Use. It is cultivated exclusively for its roots ; no other 

 portion of the plant being employed in domestic economy. 

 The flesh of these is white, tender, sugary, and well flavored. 

 They are boiled in the manner of the parsnip, and served 

 plain at the table ; or they may be cooked in all the forms of 

 salsify or scolymus. Before cooking, the outer, coarse rind 

 should be scraped off, and the roots soaked for a few hours 

 in cold water for the purpose of extracting their bitter 

 flavor. 



8* 



