186 KITCHEN GARDEN. 



9 



Early White Dutch, Yellow Maltese, 



Early Stone, Dutch Yellow, 



Green-topped White, Aberdeen Yellow, 



Long White, Teltow. 



Besides these, the Navet of the French (Brassica Na- 

 pus v. esculenta) is occasionally cultivated, and more fre 

 quently the Swedish Turnip or Rutabaga (Brassica cam- 

 pestris v. Napo-brassica, L.) which is a most excellent win 

 ter sort, though it belongs more properly to the farm. For 

 early crops, the white Dutch is the principal variety ; the 

 other white sorts, and the beautiful yellow Maltese, are 

 useful in summer and the beginning of autumn. The yel 

 low Dutch being capable of enduring a considerable degree 

 of frost, affords the most appropriate winter supply. The 

 teltow or French turnip is remarkable for being high-nayor- 

 ed, and is used only for seasoning to soups or stews. 



Turnips succeed best in a rich, well-worked soil, of a 

 light or medium quality. The first sowing is made about 

 the end of March, in a warm situation ; and it is usual to 

 put in additional sowings, once a fortnight or three weeks, 

 till the end of August. The early crops are sown broad 

 cast, and the later in drills about a foot asunder. After 

 the plants have shown a rough leaf or two, they are thinned 

 out, being left at the distance of eight or ten inches in the 

 drill ; and the ground is hoed and kept free from weeds. 

 As turnips which have stood the winter throw up their 

 seed-stalks early in spring, after which their roots become 

 stringy, and are much deteriorated, it is useful to store 

 the turnips in the winter, keeping them in a close place, 

 and covering them with straw. 



A small sowing may take place so late as the middle of 

 September ; and if the winter prove mild or open (as often 

 happened previous to 1837-8), young turnips of excellent 



