214 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



broken with the spade, to the depth of full twelve 

 inches. On such a piece of ground, after it is 

 prepared and levelled, drills may be drawn about 

 two or three inches deep ; and if more than one row, 

 they must be two feet apart. In the drills, the sets 

 are to be planted at eighteen inches distance, and 

 lightly covered at first, as they may have a little 

 earth from between the rows thrown over them 

 soon after they make their appearance. 



The only additional care they require during the 

 summer is to keep the ground clear from weeds, and, 

 on the decline of that season, to cut down the stalks, 

 for the reasons already mentioned. 



How long they may be allowed to remain in the 

 ground will partly depend on the weather, as they are 

 not so tender as they were at first supposed. But 

 there is a certain criterion to judge by ; viz. when 

 there is an appearance of decay in the stalk. The 

 preserving of the tubers has been already glanced at. 



A quantity of small tubers, if wanted, may be 

 had in abundance by laying the young shoots, 

 nearly to their tops, rather shallow between the 

 rows, where they will emit roots or tubers at every 

 joint : they may also be propagated by cuttings of 

 the young shoots of about six inches in length, 

 which must be covered with a hand-glass to facili- 

 tate their rooting. 



41. PARSLEY. APIUM. 



Apium petrosilinum. From the term apium 

 being given to the parsley, it will be observed that 

 it is classed with the celery. The specific name is 

 derived from its supposed medicinal qualities. 



