28 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



demand than can be met by glass culture, so in June 

 or early July we thoroughly prepare a small quarter by 

 soot, lime, and other additions, and sow the Early Nantes 

 in rows nine inches apart, not thinning very hard. 

 These roots are then drawn from December to May, as 

 needed. They are small, but sweet and good, and only 

 make a very small top growth. In severe weather long 

 litter or bracken is loosely thrown over a portion of the 

 beds to facilitate lifting. The chief drawback to these 

 late sown roots is that in hot dry summers the seed 

 is some time in the soil before it germinates, so that it 

 may be well in late districts to sow at the end of June. 

 In all cases it is necessary to sow in clean land. In 

 winter the roots are most liable to the attacks of the 

 various pests alluded to above. I have not named the 

 Long Red Surrey type of carrot for garden work. 

 In fields the Altringham is much grown for market, 

 but I think the intermediate types, such as James or 

 Scarlet, are superior. There are white varieties, such 

 as the White Belgian, but they are not popular in 

 this country. Those roots having a small core are the 

 best flavoured. 



Parsnips 



Few roots are more productive than the Parsnip, and, 

 though I shall not advocate the general culture of roots, 

 as sometimes seen at shows, quite two to three feet in 

 length, I do not think that this vegetable is valued 

 enough, as it is one of the hardiest, and very whole- 

 some. There are objections to large coarse roots. 

 They have a lot of core, and must be cut into pieces 

 to cook them properly, and thus the flavour is lost. 

 Much better results follow when the roots are grown in 

 a shorter time, and only of such a size that they can be 

 cooked whole. I find the roots are much better when 



