PARSNIPS 185 



with Parsley. One of the best varieties for this pur- 

 pose is White Leviathan, but it is not a good keeper. 

 Other good varieties are Blood Red and Lemon Rocca. 



PARSNIPS. 



When clean roots free from blemish, of moderate 

 length, and tapering regularly to a point, are staged 

 at the autumn shows, they are undoubtedly both at- 

 tractive and serviceable. To ensure exhibition roots, 

 holes must be bored the same as advised for Carrots 

 and filled in with a compost consisting of loam, road 

 grit and well-decayed leaf soil in equal proportions, 

 and to every barrow load add one peck of wood ashes. 

 The whole should be thoroughly mixed and passed 

 through a sieve as in other instances. 



The holes should be bored five feet deep with a 

 space of twenty inches between each while the distance 

 between the rows should be two feet. Fill the holes 

 with the prepared compost and press firmly with a 

 stick, and when ready to sow the seed make a hole in 

 the centre of the compost to the depth of an inch and 

 a half, placing four or five seeds in each. Cover with 

 fine road sand and when the seedlings are large enough 

 thin out, leaving the strongest plant in the centre. 

 Dust the plants once a week with soot and keep the 

 Dutch hoe constantly at work. When Parsnips are 

 required for exhibition lift them carefully the day 

 before the show, cut off any small rootlets and clean 

 in the same way as advised for Carrots. Six specimens 



