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Article XLII. 



On the Roota-Baga^ the great value of Potatoes to the 

 Poor, and on Turnip-rooted Cabbage. 



' [By Sir Thomas Beevor, Bart, to the Secretary.] 

 Sir, May 3, 1790. 



THE plants of the Roota-Baga, which I have 

 preferved for feed, are now in great perfec- 

 tion; the roots are quite found, and as good as at 

 Chriftmas; the heads are by no means fo large and 

 bulhy as thofe of the turnip-rooted cabbage; they 

 grow up with one fingle ftem with fmall lateral 

 fhoots only, fo that whatever may be the comparative 

 value of the roots, the fprouts or heads will not pro- 

 duce near the fame quantity of food as the other. 

 Still they feem to me to be moft fufficiently invi- 

 ting to a very extenfive cultivation of them; but as 

 the laft winter was remarkably mild, their hardinefs 

 to endure and abide fcvere and repeated frofts and 

 thaws, is yet untried. Animals of every kind ap- 

 pear to be immoderately fond of them, leaving all 

 other food for them. 



The feed I (hall fave from them this year will 

 not, I fear, become ripe fufficiently early to fow in 

 this next fcafon; but Lord Orford, who is the moft 



cpmmuoicativc* 



