Cultivation of the parsnip is practically the same as that of beets and turnips. The ;seeds are sown in drills in rich friable soil in the early spring. As they are slow to sprout, it is desirable to plant a few radish seeds at the same time to mark the rows where the parsnips are. These radishes can be removed when weeding the bed after they have served this purpose. A quick-maturing variety of radish is desirable, since it is out of the ground early.
After the parsnip plants are 4 or 5 inches tall they should be thinned to stand 4 to 6 inches apart; and kept clean cultivated until the leaves shade the rows. Parsnips are perfectly hardy and may be allowed to remain in the ground over winter. They may be gathered at any time with a pickax or dug in the spring. If they start to grow in the spring their flavor becomes impaired, and they often be-come woody in the center. Usually they are placed in pits or root cellars like turnips. Hollow Crown or Student is the best variety for table use. The turnip-rooted sorts are sometimes cultivated on light soils.