PARSNIPS 329 



to large proportions, sometimes 2 feet in length and 3 or 4 inches 

 in diameter. It is of a general conical shape and attains its full 

 size in one season. The flowers and seed are produced the second 

 year. The yellow flowers are borne in large, spreading umbels, 5 or 

 6 inches in diameter, on flower stalks from 4 to 6 feet in height. 

 The seeds, which normally ripen in July or August, are about J inch 

 in diameter, flat and thin, with a membranous winglike border, and 

 either pale green or yellow. 



Soil. The value of this root is determined by its quality, and 

 since this depends largely upon the nature and preparation of the 

 soil, more than usual attention should be given to this part of 

 the culture of the crop. Because of the long root of the parsnip, the 

 soil should be deep and rich. Land which has long been in use for 

 garden purposes is better than recently broken turf, even though it 

 be thoroughly subsoiled. A deep seed bed prepared by first disking, 

 then plowing 8 or 10 inches and subsoiling the bottom of each 

 furrow, will give best results. After the deep stirring of the soil is 

 completed, the surface preparation should be continued by the use 

 of the disk and Meeker harrows. Young parsnips are not fitted to 

 compete with weeds, and therefore the seed bed should be such as 

 to induce quick germination and a robust growth of plants. The 

 deep seed bed, if rich and well supplied with organic matter, will 

 foster the development of large, long, succulent, conical roots. 

 Poor soils, shallow preparation, and inadequate cultivation tend to 

 produce short-branched roots, woody in character. 



Planting. The seeds, which are light, thin, and rather slow to 

 germinate, should be sown at the rate of ^ ounce to 100 feet of 

 row, or about 6 pounds per acre. Rows are usually laid off 16 or 

 1 8 inches apart in the kitchen garden, and the seeds planted about 

 i inch deep with the garden drill. In field culture the rows may be 

 from 22 to 30 inches apart, according to the manner of cultivation 

 to be practiced. The young plants should stand 3 or 4 inches apart 

 in the row. Parsnips are hardy and should be sown as early in the 

 season as the soil can be prepared and the planting accomplished. 



Cultivation. During the growing season the plants should be 

 kept free from weeds, and the earth stirred at frequent intervals 

 so as to preserve a surface mulch of soil and thus induce rapid 

 vegetative growth. 



