PARSNIPS

Evening Star, Issue 21820, 8 September 1934, Page 23

PARSNIPS

It is a good plan to sow seeds of parsnips early. In growing this root crop soil is an important factor. If parsnips are overgrown they _ are coarse and deficient in flavour. Needless to say, the soil must -be deep if good long roots are to be grown, somewhat moist and moderately well manured if the best results are to be obtained. No rank manure should be applied just prior to sowing. Preferably a plot that was heavily manured tho previous season should bo utilised. A suitable fertiliser to apply at the time of solving, and which should be well forked into the soil and evenly distributed, is 2Joz superphosphate, Joz sulphate of potash, and Joz sulphate of ammonia per square yard. Parsnips require plenty of room, say 14iu to IGiu between the rows. To obtain very fine roots of great length, make holes at regular distances of Sin to lOin apart in the row's with a crowbar or a pointed stake about 2iu to 2Jiu in diameter, and from 21ft to 3ft deep. Fill tho holes with a mixture of fine leaf mould, sand, and a little of the artificial manure. Put a sprinkling of garden soil over these, and within an inch of the surface level place two or three seeds in each hole. Cover with sifted soil. When the seedlings are large enough to handle pull out the tivo weaker ones and leave the best plant in each position. Parsnips may be groivn in any kind of light soil, provided it is of sufficient depth. It is of no use trying to grow parsnips on shallow' soils that have not been dug to a greater depth than one spit. Parsnips grown on deep sandy soils are always exceptionally clean and large. This useful winter vegetable likes a deep light soil, inclined to dryness on the surface. Failure with parsnips and the production of blemished roots is due in most instances to a sticky and retentive soil, or an excess of manure in tho surface layers of soil. The wet, clayey loams affect the crowns adversely, whereas dry, sandy soils do not. In naturally light, well-drained ground the seeds should be sown now. In more retentive soils it will be better to defer solving - until later, notwithstanding the fact that parsnips take a long time to reach maturity.— 1 Taranaki Herald.’