CHAP. II.] RUTA BAGA CULTURE. 103 



England, select the plants to be saved for seed. 

 We examine well to find out those that run 

 least into neck and green. We reject all such 

 as approach at all towards a whitish colour, or 

 which are even of a greenish colour towards 

 the neck, where there ought to be a little reddish 

 cast. 



33. Having selected the plants with great 

 care, we take them up out of the place where 

 they have grown, and plant them in a plot 

 distant from every thing of the turnip or 

 cabbage kind which is to bear seed. In this 

 Island, I am now, at this time, planting mine for 

 seed (27th March), taking all our English pre 

 cautions. It is probable, that they would do 

 very well, if taken out of a heap to be trans 

 planted, if well selected; but, lest this should 

 not do well, I have kept my selected plants all 

 the winter in the ground in my garden, well 

 covered with corn-stalks and leaves from the 

 trees ; and, indeed, this is so very little a matter 

 to do, that it would be monstrous to suppose, 

 that any farmer would neglect it on account of 

 the labour or trouble ; especially when we con 

 sider, that the seed of two or three turnips is more 

 than sufficient to sow an acre of land. I, on 

 one occasion, planted twenty turnips for seed, 

 and the produce, besides what the little birds 

 took as their share for having kept down the 



