Page 32 - Simply Vegetables Summer 2023

The Parsnip
by Andrew
F. Pearson
The following article is from a magazine called Irish Gardening and was printed in January 1918; the magazine closed in 1922 although there is a modern magazine with the same title published in Eire. I felt that the article will be of interest to members and shows how parsnips were grown a hundred years ago and gives some interesting observations from the time – Ed.
As a highly nutritive vegetable the parsnip comes only second to the potato although the estimated gross value per acre of the parsnip is £50 to £80 against the potatoes £24 to £48 (1918 prices). These figures are however, controversial and need not be dwelt on (no comment is made on why they are controversial in the article – Ed).
The parsnip is found growing wild in the meadows of southern Europe and England and in its wild state is an unpalatable thing. The cultivated form has been so improved by careful selection and hybridising that the modern root bears no resemblance to the wild one in food properties. In times of scarcity an excellent bread has been made from the root. Its riches in sugar, starch, gum and albumen permit a valuable wine to be drawn from it. English housewives can produce this wine with ease, and I
prepared by deep working during the autumn or winter months, and that it has not been recently occupied by celery, carrots, parsley or other plants in the umbelliferous nature (now apiaceae family), the first fine weather in February should be taken for preparing the seedbed.
Proceed by breaking down and levelling the surface with a spade or fork, rake off
all stones and draw furrows with the aid
of a triangular hoe 18ins (45cm) apart and about 11⁄2 ins (3cm) in depth. This operation can only be preformed when the soil is really dry and choose as fine a day as possible for seed sowing, the seed being so light that wind will blow it everywhere but the proper place. In ordinary seasons
I would advise sowing the seed in one continuous line, but the scarcity of seed this year demands economy. This can best be accomplished by sowing three or four seeds in clumps every 9 inches (25cm), and finally selecting the strongest seedling as the occupant left. This method will give good results and save much seed. Finish
however, some little things can go wrong – insect pests there are, although rarely serious, and fungi at times can claim their share in attack. The commoner insect is the parsnip fly (Tephritis onopordinis) see comment below - Ed. This fly produces
a grub which burrows into the tissues of the leaf and causes yellowish patches
to appear. The grubs may be killed by pressure of the fingers, and then as a preventative to the fly’s depredations, spray the crop with Quassia extract, paraffin or some equally effective insecticide.
Should fungus attack the crop it will be readily recognised in the shape of mildew. The surest method of combatting this is to spray with ordinary potato-spraying mixture (Bordeaux mixture) at about the same strength as advised for potatoes.
I trust that the mention of these pests will not debar the prospective grower; they are only possible contingencies, not probable.
Next to the preparation of the soil comes the question of the best variety, for without a really good sort the labour of preparation is so much wasted effort.
I had hoped that the crisis through which we are now passing would have by now resulted in an abridged list of varieties of
all kinds of vegetables, but the first seed list for 1918 to hand presents us with a very great choice in variety (I am not sure if the author meant a limited list – Ed)
Parsnips rejoice in five so-called distinct sorts. As already mentioned, the new
and old roots are vastly different in every way. The newer varieties are marrow
to the core; practically all the old fibre core is eliminated, and the flavour is correspondingly improved.
Seedsmen who specialise grow their own stocks, and nearly every house of repute sends out its own special parsnip.
I believe, for a heavy crop, a good strain
of Hollow Crown is hard to beat, while a good strain of the variety Student is second to none in flavour, if sightly less weighty. I have found a variety called Tender and True really good, but whatever variety is grown let the seed be new, as its germinating power diminishes rapidly after one year, and disappointment can only result from the use of old seed.
can testify to its merits. As a food for dairy cows, it has been proved to possess high class butter producing qualities.
The prime factor in growing first class roots is a deeply worked soil of a sandy loam in character.
off the whole bed by lightly covering the seed, pressing gently by foot pressure and raking smoothly.
In due time the seedlings will be in competition with the weeds. The hoe must then be plied diligently between the lines to keep the weeds in subjection: and mark this point: surface cultivation with the hoe whether there are
The prime factor in
growing first class roots is
a deeply worked soil of a
sandy loam in character.
Although stiff soils well
worked will produce good
roots, the two exceptions
to growing good roots are
perhaps stony, shallow
soils and freshly manured
soil, especially when the manure is worked into the first spit; coarse forked roots are then produced and these are just what the parsnip should not be: a prime root ought to be a solid, clean single tap, varying from 9 to 24 inches (25 to 60cm), according to the quality of the soil and the grower and the variety. In the case of stony soils, a deep hole may be made with a crowbar working it to a suitable size and filling with fine soil. This, although laborious process, has the merit of producing very fine roots.
weeds or not, is the best aid to the growth of plants of all kinds. It acts as a mulching in dry, hot weather, preventing rapid evaporation and crackling of the surface: it aerates the inner soil, and leaves it in a fit state to readily benefit by rainfall, which, by the way, is the most valuable nitrogenous stimulant obtainable.
During the early summer months growth will be luxuriant; indeed, few vegetable growths command more respect that well-grown parsnips, with their deep green hue and ornamental foliage. At this season,
Assuming that the ground has been
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