PARSNIP. 



PASSION-FLOWER. 



The Field Culture of the Parsnip. Colonel Le 

 Couteur describes this valuable field crop as 

 thriving in anv deep land, whether stiff or light. 

 It succeeds in the island of Jersey admirably 

 on soil resting on granite or sienite, or argilla- 

 ceous schisms, on red clay, or on a gravelly 

 bottom; on almost pure sand, if mixed with a 

 light coating of earth, and on soils derived 

 from pudding-stones, or white and red felspar. 

 This includes most of the British islands, ex- 

 clusive of the chalky or limestone ranges. 

 Some persons cultivate it on poor black heath 

 soil, not above 7 or 8 inches deep, and by 

 means of heavy dressings of manure raise a 

 good crop; but the parsnip in such situations 

 forms a large shoulder, and forks away into 

 fingers when near the hard subsoil, whereas, in 

 very deep land, it will run down a foot or two 

 of a good size. 



An old grass lay is broken up by some per- 

 sons in September, by others just before the 

 parsnip seed is sown; the former I consider to be 

 the best mode. When the turf is well rolled, 20 

 tons per acre of stable manure are spread over 

 the land. A trench is then opened through 

 the centre of the field between 2 and 3 feet 

 wide, and where the soil will admit of it, from 

 1 foot to 18 inches deep. A small two-horse 

 plough then turns the manure and about 3 

 inches of soil into the trench, and is imme- 

 diately followed by a large trench plough, with 

 3 or 4, and, in many cases, with 8 or 10 horses, 

 which turns a foot or more of clean soil upon 

 the manure and scurf when the land has been 

 recently skim-ploughed. The soil is then har- 

 rowed, and the parsnip seed, which should be 

 new, is sown at the rate of 3 or 4 pounds to the 

 acre. The plants, when they are an inch high, 

 are weeded, and are thinned out to 6 inches 

 apart, and, according to the soil, should be 

 again thinned out to 9 inches or more at the 

 second hoeing. In September, when the fine 

 aftermath begins to appear, some of this crop 

 may be taken up for milch cows; as from 12 

 to 25 pounds of them given at milking-time 

 will have a surprising effect on the cream, and 

 produce fine yellow butter, which will keep ad- 

 mirably, if properly salted and prepared, pre- 

 serving an excellent and superior flavour. 



They are taken up with a fork, or ploughed 

 up in October or November. The average pro- 

 duce, per statute acre, is 9 to 11 tons. The dry 

 leaves of the parsnip are given to cows. The 

 parsnip will fatten pigs (or poultry if boiled) in 

 an extraordinary manner, and it is certainly 

 one of the best preparatory crops for wheat. It 

 will keep in store until April, and it is advi- 

 sable to remove the leaves before the roots are 

 stored. The parsnip being a very hardy vege- 

 table, the frost does not injure the seed or the 

 young plant; and, if thought desirable, the 

 former may be sown as soon as they are ripe 

 in autumn. There are only 1 or 2 varieties 

 of parsnips, of which the common species is 

 the best for field culture. 1000 parts of the 

 parsnip yielded Davy 90 parts of saccharine 

 matter, and 9 parts of mucilage. 



Garden Culture. The soil in which the par- 

 snip succeeds best is a rich, dry, sandy loam, 

 and the deeper the better. The most inimical 

 to it are gravel or clay. It is always beneficial 



no 



to trench the ground 2 spades deep, a little ma- 

 nure being turned in with the bottom spit. If 

 the soil is suitable to them, they are not much 

 benefited by the general application of manure 

 at the time of sowing, but often injured in con- 

 sequence of numerous fibres being induced. 

 Dr. Macculloch says, that in the island of 

 Guernsey, which has long been celebrated for 

 the fineness of its parsnips, sea-weed is the 

 manure chiefly employed. Of excrementitious 

 manure, that of pigeons is th&best. Decayed 

 leaves are also very favourable to its growth. 

 The situation cannot be too -open. 



It is propagated by seed. The usual time 

 for sowing is from the end of February to the 

 beginning of April, but the earlier the better. 

 It has been recommended in field cultivation 

 to sow them in September ; in the garden, when 

 sown at this season, they also obtain a finer 

 flavour, but many of tin-in in general run to 

 seed. In the isle of Guernsey they regulate 

 their time of sowing according to the soil; in, 

 the most favourable soils they sow in January ; 

 or if the soil is wet or stiff, they do not insert 

 the seed until the latter end of March. 



The seed is sown broadcast, rather thin, and 

 well raked in. The compartment being kiul 

 out in beds, not more than 4 feet wide, for the 

 convenience of weeding, &c. When the seed- 

 lings are 2 or 3 inches high, they are carefully 

 thinned to 10 inches apart, and the weeds re- 

 moved both by hand and small-hoeing. The 

 beds require to be frequently looked over to 

 remove all seedlings that may spring up afresh, 

 as well as to be frequently hoed, until the 

 plants so cover the ground as to render it im- 

 practicable. The roots may be taken up as 

 wanted, in September, but they do not attain, 

 maturity till October, and which is intimated 

 by the decay of the leaves. In November, part 

 of the crop may be taken up, and the tops be- 

 ing cut close off, laid in alternate layers, with 

 sand, for use in frosty weather. The remainder 

 may be left in the ground, and taken up as re- 

 quired, as they are never injured by the most 

 intense frost, but, on the contrary, rendered 

 sweeter. In February or March, however, any 

 remaining must be extracted, otherwise they 

 will vegetate. Being preserved in sand, they 

 continue good until the end of April or May. 



For the production of seed, some of the 

 finest roots are best allowed to remain where 

 grown; or else, being raised in February, 

 planted in a situation open, but sheltered from 

 violent winds. Seed should never be employ- 

 ed that is more than a twelvemonth old, as it 

 has generally lost its vegetative power when 

 of a greater age. 



PARSNIP, THE COW. See COW-PARSNIP. 



PARSNIP, THE SEA, or PRICKLY SAM- 

 PHIRE. 



PARSNIP, THE WATER. See WATER- 

 PARSNIP. 



PARTERRE (Fr.). In gardening, a system 

 of beds of different shapes and sizes, in which 

 flowers are cultivated, with intervening spaces 

 of gravel or turf for walking on. 



PARTURITION. See ABORTION, CALVING 

 OF Cows, GESTATION, PREGNANCY, &c. 



PASSION-FLOWER (Passifiora, from pas- 

 sio, passion ; and flos. a flower ; in allusion to 



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