PARSNIPS. 565 



out to the distance of nine or ten inches from each other, 

 the ground having been previously trenched. The whole 

 crop should be taken up in the autumn, when the roots 

 have attained their full size ; a few of the finest may be 

 selected and planted out for seed, and the others laid 

 into the ground again for use. 



47. PARSNIPS. 



The Parsnip, Pastinaca sativa, is a biennial plant, 

 a native of England. The Garden Parsnip has large, 

 smooth, pinnated leaves, of a light green colour ; the 

 roots are white or cream colour, mild, sweet, and 

 aromatic. 



The following sorts have been cultivated in the Hor- 

 ticultural Garden at Chiswick : 



1. Common Parsnip. 3. Hollow-crowned Parsnip. 

 Swelling Parnsip. Hollow-headed. 



Large Swelling Parsnip. Panais Lisbonais, of Guern- 



2. Guernsey Parsnip. sey. 

 Panais long, of the French. 4-. Turnip-rooted. 

 Panais coquin, of Guern- Panais rond. 



sey. 



The Guernsey Parsnip, No. 2. appears to be an 

 improved variety of the common sort : it sometimes 

 grows in Guernsey to the length of four feet. The 

 third sort also grows to a large size, and appears to be 

 the most deserving of cultivation, being very hardy, 

 tender in its flesh, and of a most excellent flavour. 



Parsnips cannot be expected to grow large unless the 

 ground is good and properly prepared. For this pur- 

 pose, it should be trenched two spit, or twenty inches 

 deep : in the beginning of March, the seed should 

 be sown thinly in very shallow drills eighteen inches 

 from each other ; and as soon as the plants are two or 

 three inches high, they should be thinned out to twelve 

 inches apart, or fifteen inches if very large roots are 



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