The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-01-04
Profit in Parsnips.

With the exception of the onion, the
parsnip is probably one of our Oldest
garden vegetable that is cultivated for
the portion that is produced under the
surface of the ground. 1t was highly
priced by the ancient Romans, who be.
licved that it possessed valuable medic
inal qualities in addition to those that
made it desirable as an article of food.
They raised it extensively in Italy, and
introduced its culture into all the coun-
tries of Europe and they conquered and
colonlzed. Before the potato was brought
from America parsnips were very gener-
ally eaten with meat and fish. On the
continent of Europe it took the place of
other vegetables in soup.
The introduction of the potato and the
improvements made in the turnip and
beet caused parsnips to occupy an In
ferior place in the list of edible vege.
tables. Very few attempts have been
made in any country to improve its
character, to produce distinct varieties
or to increase its productiveness. Enter
prising seedmen bring out a new variety
Of bcets and turnips almost every year,
but the parsn'p is so little used that no
one seems to think that it would pay to
make experiments with view to improv-
ing it.
Failures in the potato crop have become
so frequent in large sections OF this coun-
try that it is desirable to find some SUBJ
stitute for it. Parsnips take the place of
common or sweet potatoes better than
almost any vegetable. Boiled and served
with milk or boiled, cut in slices and
fried, they are relished by almost all per-
sons. Parsnips arc easy to digest and
are quite nutritious. AS food for ami
mails and fowls they are deserving of far
more attention than they receive. On
islands in the English Channel they are
extensively raised for feeding to dairy
COWS.
Many believe that the excellence of the
milk of the cows raised on these islands
is Largely due to the parsnips they eat.
In France parsnips are used for fattening
fowl. They are boiled or steamed and
mashed, when bran or meal and cheap
fats are mixed with them. That pork
can be made from parsnips cheaper than
SCCLAo SSit hiu ~
be boiled to produce the best results, and
should be fed in connection with meal or
some other substance which will assist in
forming fat.
Parsnips are very productive. The
average yield is five hund. ed bushels per
acre. The seed terminates quicker than
does the seed of carrots and beets. The
plants grow rapidly and require but little
cultivation. Aside frcm the operation
of thinning, all the work can be done
with narrow cultivator drawn by a horse.
ParsnIps do not suffer from drought to
the extent that potatoes, beets and tur-
nip; do. Like carrots, the portion of
use for food is entirely below the surface
of the ground. They are shaded by their
leaves, which keep the soil moist. Par
snips grow continuously from the time
the seed terminates till the ground is
frozen in the fall. There are insects that
appear to be created on purpose to devour
the foliage of the potato and turnips and
to puncture the bulbs of onions, but an
insect intended to do injury to the par.
snip is yet to be called into being. The
parsnip is the only vegetable that is not
injured by being fro 'en, and the only one
that can remain all winter in the soil
where it grew without receiving injury.
-Nep York Herald.