112 CULINARY HERBS 



prepared seedbed or cold frame. One inch between 

 se^eds is none too little. 



In field culture and at the distances mentioned 

 six or seven pounds of seed will be needed for the 

 acre. For cultivation on a smaller scale an ounce 

 may be found sufficient for 50 to 100 feet of drill. 

 This quantity should be enough for any ordinary- 

 sized family. In all open ground culture the radish 

 is the parsley's best friend, because it not only marks 

 the rows, and thus helps early cultivation, but the 

 radishes break, loosen and shade the soil and thus 

 aid the parsley plants. 



When the first thinning is done during May, the 

 parsley plants may be allowed to stand 2 inches 

 asunder. When they begin to crowd at this dis- 

 tance each second plant may be removed and sold. 

 Four to six little plants make a bunch. The roots 

 are left on. This thinning will not only aid the 

 remaining plants, but should bring enough revenue 

 to pay the cost, perhaps even a little more. The 

 first cutting of leaves from plants of field-sown seed 

 should be ready by midsummer, but as noted below 

 it is usually best to practice the method that will 

 hasten maturity and thus catch the best price. A 

 "bunch" is about the amount that can be grasped 

 between the thumb and the first finger, 10 to 15 

 stalks. 



It is usual to divide the field into three parts so as 

 to have a succession of cuttings. About three weeks 

 are required for a new crop of leaves to grow and 

 mature after the plants have been cut. Larger 

 yields can be secured by cutting only the fully ma- 



