14 Composition of the Parsnip and White Belgian Carrot. 



portion of fatty matters. They ought, therefore, to be superior 

 as a fattening material in the feeding of stock. 



7. The differences in the relative proportions of cellular fibra 

 in both roots are very great. The cellular fibre occurring in 

 carrots, parsnips, turnips, mangolds, &c., 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, and applied in the 

 system to feed the respiration, or for the formation of fat. 



Thus, on the whole, parsnips appear to possess greater value 

 than white Belgian 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, and keep well for a long time, as they contain 

 less water than almost any other root-crop usually cultivated in 

 England. On these grounds I would, therefore, strongly recom- 

 mend the field cultivation of parsnips. 



