PARSLEY, SPINACH, LETTUCE 143 



PARSLEY (Carum petroselinum) 



This plant belongs to the same order as Celery. The seed, 

 which takes some weeks to germinate, may be sown thinly at any 

 time from April to July in drills one foot apart. The plants are 

 thinned to a distance of six inches apart. A small proportion of 

 the shoots will produce flowers and seed in the following year, 

 but the plant may be regarded for practical purposes as a perennial, 

 and unless the climate is rigorous may be allowed to stand for 

 at least two seasons. Parsley grows satisfactorily in almost any 

 moderately good garden soil. 



SPINACH (Spinacia oleracea) 



This plant, belonging to the Goosefoot order, is cultivated 

 for its leaves. The most useful variety is the winter or prickly 

 Spinach, since this comes into use at a time of the year when 

 there is some shortage in the supply of a variety of green vege- 

 tables. Cultivation is very simple. A moist, well drained, rich 

 soil is required, and in this the seed should be sown very thinly 

 in August, in rows fifteen inches apart. The plants are thinned 

 to a distance of six inches apart, and if the weather is subsequently 

 dry, water or liquid manure should be given at the roots from 

 time to time. The crop will be ready for gathering from the 

 beginning of November. 



THE LETTUCE (Lactuca saliva) 



Small patches of this valuable salad plant may be sown from 

 March till the end of August on a warm moist bed. If sown 

 very thinly and in very small patches it is not necessary to trans- 

 plant. It will be sufficient merely to pull out and consume the 

 largest plants as required. Cultivation on a larger scale involves 

 transplanting into rows one foot apart with a distance of nine 

 inches between the plants. If desired we may, instead of sowing 

 in patches, sow thinly in drills, thinning out to the proper distance. 

 The treatment for Cos and Cabbage Lettuces is the same, with the 

 exception that the plants of the former variety must, when large 



