etween the Guernsey and Turnip-rooted
Parsnips. He also states that it is the most esteemed. It does not,
however, appear to be known at the present day in this country.

TURNIP-ROOTED. _Trans._

Panais Rond, of the French.

[Illustration: Turnip-rooted Parsnip.]

The leaves of this sort are few, and do not exceed twelve to sixteen
inches in length. The roots are from four to six inches in diameter,
tunnel-shaped, tapering very abruptly, with a strong tap-root; the whole
being from twelve to fifteen inches in length. The rind is rougher than
either of the other sorts; the shoulder very broad, growing above the
surface of the soil; convex, with a small, short crown. It is much the
earliest of the parsnips; and, if left in the ground, is liable to rot
in the crown. The leaves also decay much sooner than those of most other
sorts.

It is particularly adapted to hard and shallow soils; and, from its
coming into use much earlier than any other kind, very desirable. In
flavor, it is mild and pleasant, though less sugary than the long-rooted
kinds. The flesh, when dressed, is more yellow than that of any other
variety.

* * * * *

THE POTATO.

Solanum tuberosum.

The Potato is a native of Central or Tropical America. In its wild or
natural state, as found growing on the mountains of Mexico or South
America, the tubers rarely exceed an inch in diameter, and are
comparatively unpalatable. During the last half-century, its cultivation
within the United States has greatly increased; and it is now considered
the most important of all esculent roots, and next to the cereals in
value as an article of human subsistence.

_Soil._--The soils best suited to the Potato are of the dryer and
lighter descriptions; pasture lands, or new land, with the turf freshly
turned, producing the most abundant as well as the most certain crops.
On land of a stiff, clayey texture, or in wet soils, they are not only
extremely liable to disease, but the quality is usually very inferior.
"On soils which have been long cropped and heavily manured, they rarely
succeed well; and hence garden ground, in most cases, does not produce
tubers of so good quality as those obtained from the fields."

_Fertilizers._--"In good garden soil, the less manure that is used, the
better flavored will be the produce; and it will also be much less
affected by the disease. Therefore, whilst the malady prevails, or
symptoms of it sti