266 GAEDEXING FOK THE SOUTH. 



in autumn or spring, until the weather and soil are too 

 dry and hot, when it will come up readily. It is best to 

 sow it pretty early, as the seed remains long in the soil 

 before vegetating. The beds must be made annually, if 

 the plants are allowed to run to seed ; but if the seed 

 stalks are cut down as often as they rise, the plants will 

 last many years. Many sow parsley as an edging to 

 other beds or compartments. If in beds, it is better to 

 sow in drills ten inches apart. Any good garden soil is 

 rich enough for this plant. Pulverize the bed by thorough 

 spading, and rake it level before making the drills. Sow 

 the seed moderately thick in drills half an inch deep, and 

 press fine soil upon it. The plants will not come up in 

 less than three or four, and sometimes six weeks. If sown 

 late give it a shady border. Should the bed get weedy 

 before the parsley appears, pull the intruders out by hand. 

 As soon as the rows can be seen, hoe between them, and 

 draw a rake crosswise to break the crust which has been 

 formed, and the plants will grow vigorously. They will 

 be fit for use when two or three inches high. When they 

 get strong, thin them oat to three inches, and finally to 

 nine inches apart, being careful to reject all plants from 

 the seed bed that are not nicely curled. If they grow 

 too rank in summer, cut them near the collar. 



Soot is the very best manure for parsley, but it should 

 be sparingly applied. A bed six feet long by four feet 

 wide is large enough for almost any family. It is best to 

 appropriate to it such a bed, where it will sow itself and 

 yield a constant succession of new plants. The plants 

 should have the stems cut down, if growing rank, three 

 or four weeks before heavy frosts are expected, that fresh 

 growth may be thrown up for winter and early spring 

 use. It is well to protect the plants with a little coarse 

 litter in cold climates, but this is not necessary south of 

 Virginia. 



Hamburgh Parsley is grown in drills one foot apart, the 



