EEPOBT ON COMPARATIVE PRODUCTIVENESS OF TUENIPS. Ill 



better adapted for grass and turnips than for cereals ; the sub- 

 soil is strong brownish clay. The field was deep ploughed in 

 November 1865, and required no more ploughing ; but in the 

 month of May was brought into a very fine mould by the grubber 

 and harrow. It is about 300 yards long, and about 250 yards 

 broad. The centre was selected for the different plots. Each 

 plot contained four drills, each drill 27 inches wide, which made 

 3 yards in breadth to each plot, and 201 § yards in length made 

 | th of an imperial acre. These were the extent of plots weighed ; 

 and the other 100 yards in length were to remain in the field 

 during the whole of winter, to ascertain their hardiness or keep- 

 ing qualities through atmospheric influence. These 100 yards at 

 the end of the held, exclusive of the Jth of an acre, received the 

 same quantity of manures and attention as |-th of the acre did, 

 only that they were never weighed. Into each plot, or Jth of an 

 acre, was put 2| yards of equal made farmyard dung, with 28 lbs. 

 of dissolved bones. The plots of swedes received 2^ yards of 

 dung of the same kind as the others, with 56 lbs. of dissolved 

 bones. The plots were sown at the different times stated in the 

 table. The frost in the last week of May and the first week of 

 June kept the swedes back a little, and gave them the appear- 

 ance, at one time, of going off; the other kinds, not being so 

 early sown, did not suffer from the frost. About the 20th of June 

 they all showed a healthy appearance, and proved that the seed 

 was all wholesome and free from damage ; no turnip fly was 

 visible on all the field. At the date of thinning they appeared 

 equal in progress, and none of them showing any indication of 

 decay. All the different kinds of seed were purchased from Ben- 

 jamin Eeid and Co., seedsmen, 132 Union Street, Aberdeen, with 

 the exception of the plot of Old Meldrum seed. The seeds from 

 the Messrs Reid were all very true to their kind, — so much so, 

 that it was difficult to find one turnip in the plot that was not 

 of the same kind. The Old Meldrum was the only plot in all 

 the sixteen that was not altogether true to their kind. 



The writer not being skilled in agricultural chemistry, is unable 

 to describe properly the different feeding qualities of the turnips, 

 but it is right that there be given a description of the different 

 kinds, as far as known. It will be observed by the table, that 

 although the swedes were first sown on the west side of the 

 field, the white, or globes, were the first weighed, and, conse- 

 quently, first on the table. 



1st, The White Globe is not of a very regular shape, but 

 comes very fast forward to maturity. It is sometimes called 

 the Norfolk Globe ; is soft, and easy cut by calves for the first 

 time. 



2d, Tankard white Globe grows far above the ground, much 

 exposed to frost and all kinds of rough weather. It is a very 



