SWEDISH TURNIPS 



it is no matter. This is the case even with apples. I preserved 

 white turnips this way last year. Keep the light out, and all v/ill 

 be safe with every root that I know any thing of, except that 

 miserable thing, the potatoe, which, consisting of earth, of a small 

 portion of flour, and of water unmixed with sugar, will freeze to 

 perdition, if it freeze at all. Mind, it is no matter to the animals, 

 whether the Swedish turnip, the white turnip, or the cabbage, 

 be frozen, or not, at the time when they eat them. They are 

 just as good ; and are as greedily eaten. Otherwise, how would 

 our sheep in England fatten on turnips (even white turnips) in the 

 open fields and amidst snows and hard frosts ? But, a potatoe, 

 let the frost once touch it, and it is wet dirt. 



241. I am of opinion, that if there were no earth put over the 

 turnip heaps, or stacks, it would be better ; and, it would be much 

 more convenient. I shall venture it for a part of my crop ; and I 

 would recommend others to try it. The Northern Winter is, 

 therefore, no objection to the raising of any of these crops ; and, 

 indeed, the crops are far more necessary there than to the South 

 ward, because the Northern Winter is so much longer than the 

 Southern. Let the snows (even the Nova Scotia snows) come. 

 There are the crops safe. Ten minutes brings in a waggon load 

 at any time in winter, and the rest remain safe till spring. 



242. I have been asked how I would manage the Swedish 

 turnips, so as to keep them tilling or July. In April (for Long 

 Island) ; that is to say, when the roots begin to shoot out greens, 

 or, as they will be, yellows, when hidden from the light. Let me 

 stop here a moment, to make a remark which this circumstance 

 has suggested. I have said before, that if you keep the bulbs 

 from the light, they will freeze and thaw without the least injury. 

 I was able to give no reason for this ; and who can give a reason 

 for leaves being yellow if they grow in the dark, and green, if they 

 grow in the light ? It is not the sun (except as the source of light) 

 that makes the green : for any plant that grows in constant shade 

 will be green ; while one that grows in the dark will be yellow. 

 When my son, JAMES, was about three years old, LORD COCHRANE, 

 lying against a green bank in the garden with him, had asked him 

 many questions about the sky, and the river, and the sun and the 

 moon, in order to learn what were the notions, as to those objects, 

 in the mind of a child. JAMES grew tired, for, as ROUSSEAU, in 

 his admirable exposure of the folly of teaching by question and 

 answer, observes, nobody likes to be questioned, and especially 

 children. &quot; Well,&quot; said JAMES, &quot; now you tell me so?nething ; 



what is it that makes the grass green.&quot; His Lordship told him 

 t was the sun. &quot;Why,&quot; said JAMES, pulling up some grass, 

 you see it is zvhite down here.&quot; &quot; Aye,&quot; replied my Lord, 

 but that is because the sun cannot get at it.&quot; &quot; How get at 

 1 it ? &quot; said James : &quot; The sun makes it hot all the way down.&quot; 

 LORD COCHRANE came in to me, very much delighted : &quot; Here,&quot; 

 said he, &quot; little JEMMY has started a fine subject of dispute for all 



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