PARSNIP

Pastinaca sativa





The Parsnip is one of the most profitable roots the earth produces.

Probably its sweet flavour imposes a limit on its usefulness, but bad

cooking doubtless has much to answer for, the people in our great towns

being, in too many instances, quite ignorant of the proper mode of

cooking this nourishing root. When cut in strips, slightly boiled and

served up almost crisp, it is a poor article for human food; but when

cooked whole in such a way as to appear on the table like a mass of

marrow, it is at once a digestible dainty and a substantial food that

the people might consume more largely than they do, to their advantage.



The Parsnip requires only one special condition for its welfare, and

that is a piece of ground prepared for it by honest digging. Rich ground

it does not need, but the crop will certainly be the finer from a deep

fertile sandy loam than from a poor soil of any kind. But the one great

point is to trench the ground in autumn and lay it up rough for the

winter. Then at the very first opportunity in February or March it can

be levelled down and the seed sown, and the task got out of hand before

the rush of spring work comes on. A fine seed-bed should be prepared

either in one large piece or in four-feet strips, as may best suit other

arrangements. Sow in shallow drills eighteen inches apart, dropping the

seeds from the hand in twos and threes at a distance of six inches

apart; cover lightly, and touch over with the hoe or rake to make a neat

finish. As soon as the plants are visible, ply the hoe to keep down

weeds and thin the crop slightly to prevent crowding anywhere. The

thinning should be carried on from time to time until the plants are a

foot apart; or if the ground is strong and large roots are required,

they may be allowed fifteen inches. Good-quality roots may be grown on

the worst types of clay and on stony soils by boring holes and filling

them in with fine earth, in the manner described for Beet and Carrot.

The holes for Parsnip, however, should be rather larger and deeper, with

more space allowed between. It may be well to lift some of the roots in

November, a few spits of earth being removed first at one end or corner

of the piece to facilitate removal without breaking the roots: these may

be put aside for immediate use, but the general bulk of the crop should

remain in the ground to be dug as wanted, because the Parsnip keeps

better in the ground than out of it, and in the event of severe frost a

coat of rough litter will suffice to prevent injury. Whatever remains

over in the month of February should be lifted and trimmed up and stored

in the coolest place that can be found, a coat of earth or sand being

sufficient to protect the roots from the injurious action of the

atmosphere.