180 



ESCULENT ROOTS. 



Fig. 34. 



not only valuable in itself, 

 but it also draws up from 

 the lower strata of the soil 

 more or less of the valua 

 ble plant nourishing sub 

 stances always present 

 there, and leaves a portion 

 of them near the surface, 

 where they can easily be 

 reached by surface-rooted 

 plants. 



G13. The varieties of the turnip are very numerous. 

 Those most commonly cultivated arc the common globe, 

 the purple-top strap leaf, the hybrid, and the Swede or 

 ruta-baga. Many others have a local reputation, and are 

 more or less valuable. 



614. The soils best adapted to the turnip are light loams, 

 loose and open, under full cultivation or thoroughly 

 ploughed and pulverized. There are few crbps which 

 require so much preparation of the land before planting. 



615. The land designed for the Swede or ruta-baga, 

 should be very deeply ploughed the preceding autumn, 

 the deeper the better. Two thorough ploughings should 

 also be given in the spring, to be followed by a careful 

 harrowing so as to mellow and completely disintegrate or 

 break up and pulverize the soil. The flat turnip requires 

 less depth and thoroughness of cultivation. 



616. The soil should be enriched by an abundant supply 

 of manure. On poor soils the root soon degenerates and 

 becomes small and acrid. The manures best adapted to 

 this vegetable are those rich in phosphates, such as 

 dissolved bones or bone dust, guano and super-phosphate 

 of lime. 



