154 OBSERVATIONS ON INVERTED GROWTH. 



Bolton. Small, handsome, oblate, chiefly above ground, and 

 where so exposed the skin is violet ; flesh white and tender, but 

 not so sweet as that of the preceding and some other white sorts. 

 Navet jmuie de Finlande. — Resembles the Malta, and appears 

 to be a small but very handsome variety of it ; round above, 

 concave below, with a very small tap-root proceeding from the 

 centre of the evenly-rounded hollow ; skin smooth, yellow ; 

 flesh yellow, tender, and sweet. Seeds of a turnip from St. 

 Petersbnrgh were received this spring from the Rev. M. J. 

 Berkeley, accompanied with the following note, from which 

 there is a strong probability that it is the same as the Navet 

 jaune de Finlande : '' I send for the Horticultural Society some 

 seed of a turnip Avhich I received from St. Petersburgh. It is 

 used there, I understand, as we use radishes. I find it an excel- 

 lent kind for early spring and autumn sowing, but it does not 

 stand the winter well. Its roots are very neat in shape, and the 

 head of leaves scarcely larger than that of a radish. It is not, 

 I think, the same as the yellow Malta." The Navet jaune de 

 Finlande agrees with the above description, but its Imrdiness 

 has not been ascertained, having only been grown in the Garden 

 last season, and the mild winter afforded little means of judging 

 of the hardiness of vegetables. 



XV. — Observations on Inverted Groivth. By Peter Mac- 

 kenzie, West Plean, Stirling. 



(Communicated January 24, 1851.) 



Trees and shrubs growing under the shade of other trees often 

 assume forms that they would not acquire if tliey grew in an 

 open exposure ; this may be owing, in a great measure, to the 

 agency of light, for if a little attention be given to such circum- 

 stances, it will be found to be true what the late Mr. Knight 

 stated long ago, that the stems and branches of trees and other 

 plants incline in whatever direction they receive the greatest 

 quantity of that fluid, and consequently avoid, and appear to 

 shun, the shade of every contiguous plant. By such means 

 many plants may be made to take what is called a weeping form, 

 the line of grace and beauty may be seen in the branches of 

 others, and the stems and branches of some evergreens, where the 

 shade is close and thick upon them, may be made to grow almost 

 horizontally ; and in many cases the lower branches are so much 

 bent as to come in contact with the ground, and natural layering 

 in many instances is the consequence. This season I obtained 

 several scores of young plants of the Portugal and common 



