434 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 12, 1892. 
The fine strain of Cinerarias evolved and brought 
to great perfection here, are only commencing to 
flower so that it would be premature to state what 
they will be like. The remarkably dwarf strain of 
Calceolarias has not even reached that stage and 
will not be in bloom till May and June. The plants 
are now in 32-size pots, except the old ones of last 
year, and which have been potted on again into 
12-size pots. All are remarkably dwarf and com¬ 
pact. 
- ♦ — 
PARSNIPS, CARROTS, AND 
BEET FOR EXHIBITION. 
The preparation of the soil and general cultivation 
of the three vegetables above named are in many 
respects identical. I have therefore deemed it 
advisable to include them under one heading. 
Necessary differences of treatment will be duly 
noted. There are two distinct methods practised 
in the growing of Parsnips for exhibition, both of 
which I have proved from experience to be excellent, 
Either may be adopted according to circumstances. 
The first method which I will describe is the most 
natural and the simplest. In autumn select the 
ground on which you wish to grow them, let it be 
open and well exposed to the sun. Take out a trench 
2% ft. deep and two spits broad. Wheel this soil 
to the other end of the bed to finish with. Put a 
layer 2 in. or 3 in. thick of old cow or horse manure 
in the bottom. Turn over on this the top spit of 
the next trench. Then another layer of manure, on 
which turn up the second spit. Manure this also, 
though not so heavy, and throw on the top of it 
what remains to be taken out of the trench to give 
the required depth. Thus will your first trench be 
completed. Repeat the same operation till the 
whole ground is gone over. Should the subsoil be 
very hard, loosen the bottom with a pick. 
Should the soil not admit of such deep working, 
it will be necessary to board the bed round and 
make up with other soil to the required depth. If 
the bottom is clay and retains water, it must be 
drained, but the loosening of the subsoil is usually 
sufficient. Some growers sift the soil with a half¬ 
inch riddle, in order to break it up and get rid of 
stones. If manure water drainings from a stable or 
byre are procurable, a good watering given once a 
week along where the rows are to be, up till the 
middle of January, will very much enrich the soil. 
So much then for the first system. 
The second method consists of digging a trench to 
the depth already indicated and about 14 in. broad, 
loosening the bottom. Fill this with a mixture, half 
soil and half manure, raising it 2 in. or 3 in. to allow 
for subsidence. It is not necessary that the manure 
be old. The trench may be filled at seed-sowing 
time, but it is better to have it done some weeks 
previously to allow time for settling. If not done 
beforehand the mixture must be in a friable con¬ 
dition, and in filling slightly tramp it down. Now 
make a dibber about 4 ft. long with a point regularly 
tapered 2J ft. long by 5 in. or 6 in. diameter at the 
thickest part. With this instrument make holes 
along the trench at least 2 J ft. deep and about 9 in. or 
10 in. from centre to centre. Each hole will require 
to be filled before the next is made, with the com¬ 
position hereafter described. In filling the holes 
gently ram home the compost. With regard to the 
mixture or compost for filling the holes, there is 
room for differences of opinion, but I find the follow¬ 
ing produces grand results:—Equal parts of sand, 
loam and leaf-soil, with 1 lb. of Cross’s Garden 
Fertilizer to the bushel. Soft and white sand is best. 
If leaf-soil is not to be had, very old manure will do 
as well, or part of both is perhaps better. Turfy 
loam that has been stored up a year or more is most 
suitable. This compost must be dry before being 
run into the holes and all passed through a J in. or 
finer sieve. 
I may say that I have filled the holes with pure 
white sand mixed with a little artificial manure and 
grown first prize roots in that way, but it is rather 
difficult to get them to start in sand, especially if the 
spring be dry, but when successful, the roots are 
beauties and no mistake! Quite as perfect as any I 
have seen illustrated in catalogues, where they are 
sometimes said to be a little bit exaggerated. I may 
also remark that the reason for using so much 
manure in the trench is, that the essence of it finds 
its way gradually to the roots, and is thus largely 
the cause of the success of this system. 
Sowing. 
Parsnips for exhibition require to be sown early. In 
February or early in March, the first chance of the 
soil being dry and friable should be taken advantage 
of. On the ground prepared by the first method sow 
in rows 16 in.or 18 in. apart, putting in four or six good 
seeds every 10 in. or 12 in., and covering them about 
half an inch deep. By the second method of course 
the seeds must be sown in the centre of the filled up 
holes. Cover the rows with spare branches or other 
suitable material to form a protection from severe 
frost or drought, till the seeds germinate. Should 
severe weather occur after the plants are up, protect 
with little branches stuck all round them. Thin 
them as soon as they are 2 in. high, leaving one (of 
course the strongest) plant in each spot. During 
growth, should the crowns show themselves, cover 
with fresh soil or sand. Parsnips growm as above 
described require little or no attention after thinning. 
The soil being so rich, manure watering is unneces¬ 
sary, but should a time of drought occur, give a good 
supply of pure water. Manure water will no doubt 
assist growth, but some assert that it produces 
fibrous roots (a result to be avoided), though of that 
I am not convinced. Something must be said about 
the number to be grown, and that depends a good 
deal on the keenness of the competition and the 
space at command. At least three to four times what 
is required should be grown. Those raised by the 
second method produce the largest percentage of 
perfect roots. When lifting them be careful not to 
bruise the skin, wash clean and cut away all fibrous 
roots. A good specimen may measure nine or more 
inches in circumference at the thickest part and from 
20 to 30 in. long, having a gradual taper. In staging 
arrange them on a sloping board with a dark back¬ 
ground. 
Growing Parsnips for Ordinary Use. 
The first method above described, but modified a 
little, will give perfect results. Trench the ground 
in autumn 20 in. to 24 in. deep and turn up roughly, 
putting in two layers of manure. Sow in March in 
rows 16 in. apart, and thin out to 9 in. between the 
plants. If the garden is old the introduction of 
fresh soil — road scrapings and such like—will do 
much to ensure success. If the ground is not 
trenched till sowing time, care must be taken to use 
only old manure, free from straw, or the roots will 
be forked. On the approach of winter, soil should 
be drawn over Parsnips, and they should only be 
lifted as required. By this means their full flavour 
is preserved. Some, of course, will require to be 
stored away against a time of hard frost. 
Carrots. 
The best exhibition Carrots can be grown by either 
of the methods described for Parsnips. The ground 
need not be trenched so deep, 20 in. to 24 in. being 
sufficient, as I do not recommend the long-rooted 
varieties for competition. The Intermediate type, or 
Nante’s are the best, and I prefer the former. In old 
gardens, Carrots are more subject to the attacks of 
vermin than Parsnips. Deep digging and the intro¬ 
duction or fresh soil (black mossy soil is the best) 
are the best preventatives, along with a good layer of 
salt in the bottom of the trench, and another layer on 
the surface after trenching, as much as will give it a 
white coating. The salt must be applied not later 
than December. There is not much danger of ver¬ 
min being in the soil after such a dose. 
When grown by the second method the holes 
should be 8 in. or 9 in. apart and about 20 in. deep, 
made with the dibber already described. When 
sand is used to fill the holes most perfect specimens 
are obtained, though usually larger roots are pro¬ 
duced when the holes are filled with the compost. 
Sowing. 
Carrots that are sown very earl)' are apt to be 
checked by frost and run to seed. For exhibition, 
sow on the first favourable day in April, in rows 
15 in. apart, covering the seed with \ in. of fine soil. 
When large enough, thin out to 8 in. between each. 
They need all this distance when grown strong. 
Watch carefully for any sign of vermin at the roots, 
indications of which may be observed by the leaves 
turning yellow. As soon as noticed give them a good 
dusting of soot, and water it well into the soil, using a 
rose on the can. This is usually effective, but not al¬ 
ways, conditions of soil, weather, and other influences 
all conspire sometimes to make the crop a failure ; 
but, as already stated, fresh soil, deep digging, etc., 
seldom if ever fails to ensure success. 
In exhibiting Carrots, select those that are 
brightest in colour, and most even in form. Also 
stage them, as directed for Parsnips, with a bluish- 
green background. 
Carrots for Ordinary Use. 
The soil for these need not be so heavily manured 
as that prepared for growing exhibition specimens. 
For first crop sow the Earl)' Horn variety on a warm 
border towards the end of March, in rows 10 in. apart. 
As these are used in a young state they need only be 
thinned to 3 in. or 4 in. The Intermediate and later 
varieties should be sown about the end of April or 
beginning of May, in rows 12 in. or 14 m. apart, and left 
6 in. or 8 in. apart after thinning. Before winter the 
crop should be lifted and stored in a pit or cellar 
among earth or sand, or be covered from the frost 
and lifted for use as required. 
Beet. 
This vegetable can be grown to perfection by the 
second method as described for Parsnips. The holes, 
however, need not be made more than 15 in. deep, 
4 in. diameter, and 9 in. from centre to centre. The 
mixture for filling the holes should have less manure 
in its composition, as great size in this case should 
not be aimed at. The pure sand, with a little artificial 
manure as stated, will grow model specimens. 
In preparing the ground by the second method— 
which, by the way, is equally suited for growing Beet 
both for competition and general use—half the quan¬ 
tity of manure needed for Carrots will do for Beet, 
and the bulk of it should be from 9 in. to 12 in. deep. 
When trenching the ground there is no need for a 
layer of manure in the bottom. 
Sowing. 
This should be done about the middle or end o 
April, in rows 15 in. apart, covering J in. deep. Thin 
out to 9 in. in the rows. For an ordinary crop, the 
rows may be 12 in. apart, and the plants 6 in. or 8 in. 
asunder in the rows. While every effort should be 
made to grow large specimens of Parsnips and Car¬ 
rots for exhibition, never losing sight, of course, of 
other necessary qualities, here we have a vegetable, 
which, like the Turnip, if grown extra large, is likely 
never to be looked at by the judges. With a large 
Beet is associated the Mangold-wurzel and coarse¬ 
ness. An exhibition root should be about 7 in. to 8 in. 
round the thickest part, smooth and free from fibrous 
roots, and well formed. Above all, it should be of a 
rich, dark, crimson-purple colour. If found, on being 
cut by the judges, to have white rings, the chances of 
getting a prize are small. In dressing, do not cut the 
leaves close to the crown, else they will bleed and the 
root become light coloured. 
It is difficult to remember at one time every detail 
in connection with the culture of roots for exhibition, 
but should any of your readers want further informa¬ 
tion, I shall be glad to supply it through your 
columns.— Michael Cuthbertson, Public Park Nursery, 
Rothesay, N.B. 
-- 
THE SPRING SNOW¬ 
FLAKE. 
While the early-flowering Daffodils are only yet 
peering through the ground, the vernal or Spring 
Snowflake (Leucojum vernum) is in full beauty, con¬ 
temporaneously with the Winter Aconite, Snow¬ 
drops, early Crocuses, Erica herbacea, Scilla bifolia, 
Lenten Roses, and a few others. Its competitors 
are therefore few, and its beauty unquestionable. 
But although a true native, or according to some 
authorities naturalised in the south of England, it is 
not so generally planted as one would expect. The 
weather for some time past has been anything but 
favourable to spring vegetation, yet its flowers seem 
as fresh as they might be at midsummer. The flower 
scape rises only about 4 in. or 6 in. above the soil, 
bearing as a rule a single, drooping, bell-shaped 
flower of spotless purity, save for a greenish spot 
changing to yellow around the notch at the apex of 
each segment, and which serves by contrast to add 
to the charm of this harbinger of spring. It is most 
effective when planted in good-sized clumps of ir¬ 
regular outline and left undisturbed for a number of 
years. Positions could be found for it on the margins 
of shrubberies or on the better kept rockwork, where 
its modest beauty would be appreciated from the 
early days of March onwards. 
- 
The Abbey Park, Leicester, seventh annual Flower 
Show and Gala will be held on Tuesday, August 
2nd. 
