CHAP. VI.] SWEDISH TURNIPS. 253 



seed being so nearly of the colour of the earth. 

 To guard against this evil, I this year adopted 

 a method which succeeded perfectly. 1 wetted 

 the seed with water a little, I then put some 

 whitening to it, and by rubbing them well toge 

 ther, the seed became white instead of brown; 

 so that the man when sowing, could see what 

 he was about. 



228. In my directions for transplanting tur 

 nips I omitted to mention one very important 

 thing; the care to be taken not to bury the 

 heart of the plant. I observed how necessary 

 it was to fix the plant firmly in the ground; 

 and, as the planter is strictly charged to do 

 this, he is apt to pay little attention to the 

 means by which the object is accomplished. 

 The thing is done easily enough, if you cram 

 the butts of the leaves down below the surface. 

 But, this brings the earth, with the first rain at 

 least, over the heart of the plant ; and then it 

 will never grow at all: it will just live; but 

 will never increase in size one single jot. Care, 

 therefore, must be taken of this. The fixing is 

 to be effected by the stick being applied to the 

 point of the root ; as mentioned in paragraph 85. 

 Not to fix the plant is a great fault; but to 

 bury the heart is a much greater ; for, if this be 

 done, the plant is sure to die. 



