252 THE SOILS AND CROPS OF THE FAEM. 



PARSNIPS. 



The parsnip {Pastinaca edulis) has a pleasant 

 flavor, is well liked by stock, is especially recom- 

 mended for dairy cattle. Unlike most other roots it 

 is improved rather than injured by freezing, and may 

 be left in the ground until spring. 



Its culture is the same as for the carrot. The seed 

 should be sown early in the spring. If the ground is 

 dry, soaking the seed before sowing is advisable. 



JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE. 



The Jerusalem artichoke {Helianthus tuber osus, 

 L.) is a coarse, strong growing species of sunflower, 

 producing tubers which resemble potatoes in size 

 and shape. The plant is almost certainly of Amer- 

 ican origin. It was cultivated both in America 

 and Europe at least two hundred years ago. The 

 word Jerusalem in the name is said to be a 

 corruption of the Italian name for sunflower. It is 

 supposed to have been called the artichoke from 

 some likeness of flavor of the tubers to that of the true 

 artichoke. 



Extravagant claims as to the value of this crop as 

 food for stock, especially hogs, have often been made. 

 The tubers are offered for sale by most seedsmen. 

 The plant is entirely hardy, easily cultivated and 

 gives enormous yields of tubers, well liked by hogs. 



Once established the crop continues to occupy the 

 ground year after year. But probably not one farmer 

 in ten thousand in the United States has cultivated 

 the crop, and many who have tried it have abandoned 

 it. It is not probable this tuber will ever be com- 

 monly grown, but there is so little cost in caring for 

 it that it may be wqU to grow it on a small scale* 



