a plant cultivated for its root, which is long, white and tapering. The roots are freely eaten by cattle and, when cooked, by man. The quality is improved by leaving the roots in the ground during the winter and digging them early in the spring. In the eastern part of the United States parsnips have run wild to such an extent that they have become troublesome weeds. Like many other species of the parsley family, the wild parsnip is slightly poisonous, and should not be eaten. However, it is probable that cases of fatal poisoning supposed to result from eating the wild parsnips are in reality caused by the water hemlock, a different plant, whose scientific name is Cicuta maculata. The roots of this latter plant resemble parsnips very strongly, and the plants themselves are sufficiently alike to deceive people who are not close observers.