THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19510, 14 December 1926, Page 18

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

CULTURE OF PARSNIPS.

EV S.T.B.

The parsnip is one of the most, popular of those vegetables whose culture is attempted by the gardener, and there are very few people who do not relish this root crop. Its popularity is clue to two main reasons. First, the e'ase with which it may be cultivated makes it a universal favourite. Secondly, when properly cooked, it provides a very appetising dish which is enjoyed by all. There are other minor reasons which also contribute to put the parsnip into general -favour .among gardeners as a whole, but amateurs in particular. These less important, though certainly not negligible, reasons for the increasing : -"favour which is bestowed on this most vegetable may as well be considered here. Probably the foremost of ~ these is the fact that tho roots will growth through the winter and 'jbo in excellent condition for use- in early spring. Furthermore their quality is much improved by frosts if allowed to semain in the ground throughout the winter season. Of course the roots may -ibe Jug before tho winter season if they *- axe required, but it is advisable to leave the major portion of the crop, or as much as possible, to be benefited by the ■ frosts. Tho Best Class ol Root. 'Another advantage is that the roots .jttiil grow to a fair size without being fjnanured heavily. As a matter of fact, if the ground bo enriched too much, the roots become too coarse and rank, and at the same time they develop a large core, which is more or less tough and undesirable. Tho aim of the gardener should be to produce medium-sized roots of good quality, and to do this all that is required is a deeply-worked soil of medium richness. There is one trivial disadvantage in connection with the growing of parsnips which it will be as well to mention. This is the length of time which is required for the crop to mature as well as is desired. This " disadvantage "—which cannot really be designated such—is far outweighed by the better quality roots which are obtained by allowing the crop to remain in the ground for the extra period. A feature oi: the culture of parsnips is that they should be allowed to make a long, uninterrupted growth. As was mentioned previously the type of soil best suited to the culture of the parsnip is a deep, well-worked, moderately rich soil. Good roots may be grown with ease, on such ground. Therefore the gardener will naturally aim to put his soil into such a condition. The soil may ibe deepened by means of digging Junder one or two green crops. : jl-Ihis cannot be done at a moment's ifuotice, however, but requires a year ' i|or two to effect- any increase in f -Jthe depth of the top soil. The j 'screen manuring wilil also assist in en- ! -vxiohing the soil to a desirable degree. K. It is important-, that the crop is not put in until the green manure has ; "thoroughly decayed. If this be ignored, I and the crop is put in ground that is | -rank with half-decayed manure, the roots ! 'iwill grow forked and be of little use. | 'Thus care must be taken to see that the ren crop, if one in grown, is dug under sufficient time before the parsnip crop | to be grown, in order to allow it to "■become properly decomposed. Preparation tor Parsnips, The third factor in the ideal type of Soil for parsnips is the physical con- < edition in which it iB, i.e., whether it has J . been worked well and loosened up or not. | ?Fo make certain that the soil has been j worked thoroughly, it should be trenched ' ;.i>efore growing parsnips on it. Trenchl : ing is an operation which may often be practised in the garden. It is of particular value in encouraging the root dovaLopment of deep-rooted crons. It may well be described in detail, therefore, so that those gardeners who, so far, have not employed this practice and consequently have not enjoyed its benefits (and ! -I suspect there are quite a few), will be able to do so in the future. . Although the following procedure is not the method of true trenching, yet it is the system which is commonly in ' vogue. If the plot to be trenched is large enough it is advisable to divide it longitudinally into two halves. If this be done one half of the plot is trenched working in one direction, and the second half is trenched while working in tho opposite direction, so that both the start- 1 . ing and finishing points are at the same end of the plot. If,, however, it is only a narrow strip that is to be trenched, it is impossible to thus divide it into two portions, the whole width therefore being trenched at once, Methods of Work.

No matter whether the plot is bisected or not the general procedure is the same. The only difference is the distance to which the first lot of topsoil has to be carried. The trenching should be carried out as follows: The first spit, or first two spits if one likes, of top soil to one spade depth is removed to the rear of the jplot—but not on the plot itself. The subsoil is then properly loosened up by means of a spade or a fork to another spado depth. The second epxt of top soil is then dug and thrown on io the first subsoil, thus leaving the , second subsoil exposed. This is next goosened up and covered with the third Spit of top soil, and £io the work proceeds. When the end of the plot is reached the Erst spit of top soil i>hat was removed to the rear of the plot is used to cover the last spit of subsoil. The greatest benefit which is received from trenching is the loosening up of the Bubsoil, which sometimes tends to be come quite compact. This allows the loots to penetrate more easily and to a greater depth. If ifche roots, in their downward course, come to some obstacle Jtech as a hard subsoil they endeavour to get round it by spreading to one side or perhaps they branch in order to attempt to overcome the difficulty. This pro-' ■duces mishapen roots, which would have perhaps been quite well formed if tho subsoil had been more easily penetrable. , Manures for Parsnips. If the soil be prepared as prescribed above the gardener should be rewarded by a good crop. If the soil does not need to be deepened by means of green manuring, a little artificial manure may be given to augment the supplies of food in the soil. li> this respect I have obtained good results from the use of blood

and bone. The quantity of the manure, ■whatever it is, depends, of course, on the richness of the soil, but as a, rich soil is not. required the application in no case should be heavy. The seed may be sown from August until the end of October for the main crop and in the latter half of November and the early part of December for a late crop. Jt is quite late enough now for sowing in order that the crop may mature in time and develop to a goodly size. There are two methods of sowing, the choice of which depends on the soil. The first method is the simple one of merely -sowing the seed in shallow drills •iM * n * a P ai "k I''" 8 method is suitahl* fot " «se on all soils. "UK(vri'' C „ SGCOI i lt ' astern 'of sowing is best not on s are comnara"foxe T,r° or ' an<J on which it is, therebetween a^ow a greater space i* - no® S aMs ; This other- '.??*• It con£ ov ? r the former thre 6 or four kla? , Cl s o PP ln £ groups of the si ze^V fc «tervals along the '° n Jho distance depending ■thinned ,^ e plants Ort L, i othcr method # | iSand wW the

plants are well apart this method effects a considerable saving in seed because all the plants that are thinned are useless as they cannot be transplanted. On better land, however, where the roots may bo grown closer, the saving in the quantity of seed used is barely noticeable.

When he is considering the varieties of parsnips and decideding which to grow the gardener is not confronted by a difficut task, for the varieties of this crop are not numerous. In my experience the hollow-crown type has given the best results. When everything is in readiness the sowing should be expedited Usually one sowing will produce well enough to cater for the wants of the average household, but if necessary a main and a late sowing may be made. It all depends, though, on the extent of the first sowing whether a second is necessary or not. [Necessity lor Thinning.

Early thinning is an essential factor in the successful culture of parsnips. If the young plants be allowed to remain too long in an overcrowded state in the early stages of their development the root's become forked and remain so. Thus we see that there are three causes which may bring about a forking of the roots, the presence of rank manure, the impenetrable state of the subsoil and overcrowding when the plants are in the .seedling stage. The prevention of the former two has already been discussed. Forking owing to the third cause may be prevented by preliminary thinning. This means that the crop should be thinned while the plants are very small, i.e., about 2in. high, leaving three times the number of plants that are desired finally. Later on the final thinning may be carried out. The space which is finally left between the plants is governed, as was mentioned before, by the richness of the soil. On soil in good heart the plants may be left as close as from three to four inches apart. This prevents them from developing to too great a size, but does not hamper their development to an undesirable extent. On medium soil the plants may be given about 6in. of space. On poor soil there is not enough food to allow e. great number of roots to attain a good size, and therefore when thinning the plants should be allowed from 9in. to 12in. between them. Subsequent Attention.

Very little of this is required by the parsnip beyond keeping the weeds down and keeping the soil loosened between the rows by hoeing. Pests do not attack this plant very much, and do not occupy the grower's attention to any extent. The main pests are wireworms, that burrow round the roots near the surface occasionally, and the green fly. The former cannot be controlled while the ground is being cropped, but the latter may be combated by spraying with Black Leaf 40 kerosene emulsion or some ether aphide spray. The crop if not used before the roots begin to run to seed in the following spring, should be allowed to remain in the ground as long as possible as the earth is certainly the best storehouse for it. •It is, in fact, the only satisfactory method, for the roots do not last long once they have been pulled. When it becomes absolutely essential that they be lifted they should be dug and stored in a cool place. Harvesting the Crop.

The lifting of the roots requires care so that, they are damaged as little as possible, and, so that, as little of the root as possible is left in the soil. A spade is the best tool to use. It is thrust in at the side of the plant, and a spadeful of earth is lifted from the side of the root. The root itself is not lifted the first time. The first thrust merely "clears the way" as it were, so that the next one can go deeper, and it is this one that lifts the root-. By following this method the liability of the roots being damaged is reduced to a minumum, and the long tap root of the parsnip is not cut off short and left in the ground.