Ch. XVIIL] ON TURNIPS. 235 



the dealers at exorbitant prices, yet serious losses are thus frequently- 

 incurred by farmers ; for not only do the jobbers commonly mix a certain 

 portion of rape, or of old seed, that will not grow along with that wliich 

 is good, but even when no fraud is intended, the seeds of the different 

 species of turnip are constantly mistaken by the most experienced persons, 

 and there is no certain rule for judging between them. Some observations, 

 indeed, will be found at foot, which have been made by a very experienced 

 seedsman*; but we should recommend every farmer who is desirous of 

 procuring the best kinds, and of continuing the grovvth of any valuable 

 species of turnip of which he may be in possession, to save the seed for 

 himself. 



The best mode of doing this, is to collect from the neighbours small 

 samples of seeds which bear a good reputation, and sow them at various 

 times in different lots, keeping notes of the periods of sowing and state of 

 the weather, so as to ascertain as nearly as possible the time for putting them 

 into the ground, and that of their coming to perfection. Thus, when they 

 have arrived at the proper period, the finest roots should be carefully selected, 

 and separately planted out in a good soil previously dug deep, and set in 

 rows two feet and a half asunder, and fourteen to eighteen inches apart. 

 They should also be placed at a considerable distance from each other, in 

 order to prevent any admixture at the flowering season, and thus to avoid 

 the chance of growing a bastard stock ; which will occur if the farina of one 

 species be carried to the other, either by the wind or by bees. In July or 

 August following, the seed will be ripe, and the haulm is stacked and 

 thrashed out in the usual manner, but it should not be left until dead ripe, 

 or the birds will destroy a large quantity. The trouble of selecting the roots 

 and transplanting them is indeed too often neglected, although seed raised 

 in this manner is the only kind that can really be depended upon ; and 

 when sold, always commands a superior price : it should, however, be 



* " In looking at various samples of turnip-seed, it often happens that they are found 

 to be of three, four, or five colours — green, green anil yellow, green and red, green and 

 black ; and all these may come from the same ground, in the same season, mixed 

 together. In cleaning them for sale, they are so much heavier than chafF, or any other 

 extraneous body that may be found among them, that they will not separate in the 

 best winnowing machine, or with the fairest wind that ever blew ; and which, indeed, is 

 the best way of cleaning them in fine weather. Now, upon compressing and examining 

 the green and yellow seed, it will be found to contain but a small quantity of vegetable 

 oil, and must be considered as unripe seed; it will however grow, but, like every other 

 immature thing, after vegetating it feels the want of a sufficient body, and comes to 

 little or nothing. The red seed would be the true vegetative seed, if it had not been 

 either heated in the mow, or put into damp bags when thrashed, or before it was 

 thoroughly dry ; but this has changed its dark, clear, black skin, for that of a dingy 

 red, and if more closely examined, it will be found to smell and taste musty. In com- 

 pressing it, the oil will be found less clear, and not so strong as in the black seed, and, 

 however slight the degree of heat that may have caused this change of colour, that its 

 power of vegetation is partly destroyed. 



" The black full-bodied seed — although we may suspect it to be the siftings uf the 

 rape, yet if we can depend on the grower or seedsman — is the kind of seed we ought to 

 choose ; but I would advise every man to procure his seed at least a mouth or two 

 before he wants it, and sow a dozen grains promiscuously in a small pot placed in a 

 shady spot : sov/ing also the same number every othL-r day for ten days in similar pots, 

 placed in different situations. By observing them he will see how many of them grow 

 upon an average, and he may safely then apportion his seed from a pint to a quart, or 

 four pints, or even more per acre, according as he finds the seed to grow. This is an 

 infallible guide, and has saved me a crop of turnips two or three times ; for I have 

 often known the season and the fly charged with the loss of a crop, when, in reality, 

 it was only caused by defect in the seed." — Malcolm's Comp. of Blod, Husb, vol. ii. 

 p. 400. 



