Ch. XVIII.] ON TURNIPS. 233 



much relished by cattle, and requires a rather stronger soil. Of this also 

 there are many varieties : the colour of some being red, approaching to 

 purple, and in others green, diverging to various shades, until gradually 

 sinking to nearly white ; and attentive farmers mix them, in the same 

 field, from having observed that the animals fed upon them are partial to 

 this change of food *. 



The ruta baga, or Sivedish ti/r7i ip— wKkIi was of comparatively late in- 

 troduction into this country — is by much the hardiest species known ; the 

 weather, however severe, being found to have very little effect upon it 

 when all the others are entirely destroyed by the alternate changes of frost 

 and thaw. The true sort has yellow flesh and is without a stem ; but it is 

 apt to degenerate either by the flesh becoming white, or by the crown 

 running up into a stem of more or less length. Its roots are more 

 solid t, and its leaves more palatable than those of the common turnip. 

 It has also the superior advantage of retaining its nutritive properties 

 until much later in the spring, and is therefore highly valued as affording 

 a certain support to live-stock at that pinching season which inter- 

 venes between the consumption of the common turnip and the growth 

 of the young grass. The crops which it yields are, indeed, not so large 

 as those produced by the white and yellow species, but the nourish- 

 ment obtained from an equal weight of the root is so much ^greater, that 

 not only does a much smaller quantity satisfy the appetite J, but cattle 

 fed upon it thrive in condition ; whereas, if supported solely upon white 

 turnips, they will only hold their own. It, however, requires a larger 

 proportion of manure, and a much better soil than any other kind of 

 turnip ; for, upon land of ordinary quality, whatever quantity of dung 

 may be applied, it becomes tough and fibrous, and will not grow to any 

 considerable size : it also conies later to maturity, and should, therefore, be 

 sown earlier than any other kind. In every other respect the manage- 

 ment is the same ; except that it has the peculiar property of bearing to 

 be transplanted, and therefore admits of filling up those blank spaces 

 which often occur. This operation may be performed at any time during 

 the entire of the month of June, until the commencement of July ; but, 

 when applied to entire crops, the plan has been seldom found to succeed, 

 as the bulbs show a disposition to shoot earlier than when left in the 

 ground on which they were originally sown, and the advantage of spring 

 feeding is thereby lost. 



* See the Farmer's Series in the Library of Useful Knowledge, Report of Strathnaver 

 Farm, No. XVIII. p. 73. 



f On weighing a Winchester bushel each of the Swedish and common turnip, the 

 former was found to weigh 88 lbs., and the latter only GO lbs. (Dickson's Surv. of Lan- 

 cashire, p. 359) a statement which has been in many instances confirmed by otlier ex- 

 periments. 



+ On the 16th of March four tups, of the New Leicester breed, were put up in one 

 pen, and eight draught ewes in another, to be fed on common turnips, freed from their 

 tops and fibrous roots. 



In eight days the 4 tups ate 1003 lbs., or on an average 31| lbs. each per day. 

 ,, S ewes 895 lbs., ,, 15^ do. 



The whole were then put on Swedish turnips, sliced, weighed, and given regularly 

 three times a day ; of which 



in eight days, the 4 tups ate 553 lbs., or on an average 17 \ lbs. each per day. 

 ,, 8 ewes 544 lbs. „ 8i do. 



The experiment should, however, have been begun in November, and continued during 

 the winter, as it is well known that common turnips grow lighter and less succulent in 

 the spring months than they are in the earlier part of the winter; and it is therefore 

 probable that the diticrence would have been less at that season. — Northumberland 

 Kep. ord edit, p. 105. 



