Chap VI.] Swedish Tcrnips. 14» 



took no care of what I had growing, being sure of the 

 real sort from England. However, Mr. Byrd's were 

 from his own seed, which he has saved for several years. 

 They differ from mine. They are longer in proportion 

 to their circumference. The leaf is rather more pointed, 

 and the inside of the bulb is not of so deep a yellow. 

 Some of Mr. Bvrd's have a little hole towards the crown, 

 and the flesh is spotted with white where the green is 

 cut off. He ascribes these defects to the season ; and 

 it may be so ; but, I perceive them in none of my tur- 

 nips, which are as clear and as sound, though not so 

 large, as they were last year. 



246. Seed is a great matter. Perhaps the best wa}', 

 for farmers in general, would be always to save some, 

 culling the plants carefully, as mentioned in paragraph 

 32. This might be sown, and also some English seed, 

 the expense being so very trifling compared with the 

 value of the object. At any rate, by saving some seed, 

 a man has something to sow ; and he has it always 

 ready. He might change his seed once in three or 

 four years. But, never forgetting carefully to select the 

 plants, from which the seed is to be raised. 



POSTiCBlPT TO THE CHAPTER ON SWEDISH TURNIPS. 



247. Since writing the above, I have seen Mr. Judge 

 Mitchell, and having requested him to favour me with 

 a written account of his experiment, he has obhgingly 

 complied >vith my request in a letter, which I here 

 insert, together with my answer. 



De.*.r Sir, Ploudome, 7 Dec. 1810. 



248. About the first of June last, I received the First 

 Part of your Year's Residence in the United States, 

 which I was much pleased ^^ith, and particularly the 

 latter part of the book, which contains a treatise on the 

 culture of the Ruta Baga. This mode of culture was 

 new to me, and I thought it almost impossible that a 

 thousand bushels should be raised from one acre of 



