CULTIVATION OF PARSNIP. 



described, the seed is sometimes sown at the latter end of 

 September or beginning of October, and the plants are 

 found to pass the winter well, and produce a good crop. 

 It is supposed that they may thus become strong before 

 they can be injured by weeds. There is also some variation 

 in the time of spring sowing. Where the soil is a rich 

 sandy and dry loam, the seed is sown early in January ; 

 but the general period of sowing over the whole island, is 

 from the middle of February to the beginning of March, 

 except in stiff and wet lands, where it is deferred for a 

 fortnight. 



The produce per acre, is considerably greater than that 

 of the carrot. A good crop in Guernsey is considered 

 17,600 Ib. per vergee, or about 44,000 Ib. per English 

 acre. This is a less heavy crop than turnip, but it is much 

 more considerable than that either of the carrot or potato. 

 If we consider, at the same time, that the quantity of 

 saccharine, mucilaginous and, generally speaking, of 

 nutritious matter in the parsnip, bears a far larger propor- 

 tion to the water, than it does in the turnip, its superiority 

 in point of produce, will appear in this case also to be 

 greater. 



The roots are dug up about the middle of August, when 

 they are thought to be most nutritious, and to fatten animals 

 better than after the leaves are decayed. I do not under- 

 stand that, the green tops (6) are used in Guernsey, although 

 in England they have been found as useful for live stock, 



(6) They are always given <o horned cattle, except When the roots arc 

 left in the ground till the tops decay, for they are seldom eat off. 



Some farmers do not dig up the parsnips with a spade or fork, but dravr 

 them oft' the ground with an instrument adapted to iJiat p.urnotsp; they 

 pretend that the succeeding crop of wheat proves better. 



