THE CROPS OF THK FARM. 



pleasant and sometimes disagreeable to the taste. They likewise differ in 

 ripening earlier or later, and in being adapted in some of their varieties 

 to almost every peculiarity of soil. New kinds are produced at pleasuiv, 

 ; Wanting the seed found in the balls. The tubers obtained in this way 

 will be small the first season, but with careful culture will be large enough 



second year to determine their quality, when the best may be selec 

 for propagation. The earliest are easily designated by the premature 



if the tops. The varieties may also be increased from the seed by 

 hybridizing, or impregnating the pistils of one flower with the pollen 

 taken from the flower of another, and in this way some of the best and 



t valuable kinds have been procured. Such as have no flower- 

 more productive of tubers, as there is no expenditure of vitality in form- 

 ing the seed. They may be compelled to flower by removing the small 

 tubers from the stalks as they form. 



In selecting roots several points merit attention, and early maturity, 

 quality, productiveness, and freedom from disease, deserve first consider- 

 ation. Rough-skinned potatoes for the farm, with white fle^h, equal well- 

 shaped tubers, with shallow eyes, and of a dry, mealy quality. Abstractly 

 they may be classified as Early and Late varieties. 



TURNIPS (Brassica rapa), SWEDISH (Ruta baya). 



( 'ultivated by the Romans and placed by them as next to the vine and corn 



in importance; inBritain in the middle ofthe 16th century and still the main- 



<>f high farming ti, ^e. and though by reason of climate not so pre-eminent 



in tin- Tint' are becoming equally valuable in Canadian agriculture. 



re are many varieties of this valuable bulb which differ considerably 



in a -'/, form, colour, taste, and keeping properties. Turnips should 



iily l.y produce per acre, but their feeding value as a 



i- what is Letter by actual experiment. The form 

 ith the kind, and choice can !> maoV for heavy or light 

 according to hal .wtli whether a .shallow or deep rooter. The 



fin. Indicating quality, is one of the b-st guides, and compotffaeM 



iiape is preferahle tor general cases. We are all desirous of having 

 bulk, but as ivganU character of flesh how few pay attention to the fol- 

 low: 



J. Evenness of grain throughout. 



1'. No ' -. OF maiden's hair. 



.ikiness of cellular tissue hble, 



1. li ..arUing is - 





