Ch. XVIII.] ON TURNIPS. 211 



Much larger products of roots, exclusive of tops, have, intleecl, been in 

 many instances obtained : thus in a report from the Ardrossan Society, in 

 Ayrshire, it is stated that the weights grown upon an Imperial acre, with- 

 out any peculiar mode of cultivation, were 



Of common white turnip . . GO tons cwt." 



„ Swedes . . . .40,, l'-'- ditto. 



and it appears, from a paper published last year, by the Kilsyth Farmers' 

 Society, that in a competition between the turnip crops in that parish, the 

 greatest weights of the species there grown, were — 



Jones's Yellow . . .42 tons 8 cwt. 



Aberdeen, or Green-top Yellow . 40 „ 17 ditto. 



Dale's Hybrid . . . 35 „ 11 ditto. 



They were sown in drills, at the usual distance of two feet to two feet three 

 inches, and hoed out from eight and a half, to about ten inches apart ; but 

 the statement is deficient in not having mentioned either the soil, the date 

 of sowing, or the quantity and quality of the manure. 



It should however be observed, that on assuming weights for any vege- 

 table crop, though an idea approaching to the truth may be gained, yet 

 no correct estimate can be obtained by any other mode than weighing the 

 entire produce ; for whatever may be the regularity of its appearance, the 

 roots are, partly at least, below ground and ditl'er extremely in size f. 

 Added to this also, the quantity of manure should be in every instance 

 stated ; for as that forms a main portion of the expense, so will it also 

 largely affect the calculation of the farmer's profit. 



Regarding the comparative weights and sizes respectively attained by 

 various sorts of turnips, it has been found, " after repeated trials, that 

 sound green-top yellows, of seven or eight pounds weight, gave, as their 

 highest average, thirty-two cubic inches per pound ; which may be as- 

 sumed as a medium standard of solidity or density, and being compared 

 with the actual weight, will afford a just criterion of their value, and a 

 correct idea of their sizes J." Ujjon this principle we learn, from the 

 third Report of Drummond's Agricultural Museum at Stirling, that single 

 turnipsof the different species, grown during the last few years upon various 

 soils, and there exhibited, were therefore selected and proved to be as 

 follows : — 



From the above test the superiority of the Swedish turnip appears to be 

 very decided ; and, contrary to other sorts, greater size indicates also greater 

 solidity, whicli agrees with the products which it has been found to afford 



* See the ' Farmer's Magazine,' vol. xv.'p. 169. and vol. xvi. p. 157. 



f Thus in turnips, for instance,— globes being to each other as the cubes of their 

 diameters, will account for the very different quantities of hve-stock, of similar weights 

 and kinds, that crops apparently much alike to the eye, are observed to feed. 



X Thus—" By dividing the number of cubic inches contained in any bulb by 32, (the 

 remainder being halved for IGths or ounces,) the quotient gives the number of pounds 

 and ounces that should be of the standard solidity : the actual weight of the bulb will 

 indicate the solidity, which will either be at, or above, or below the standard— as the 

 numbers of the weight are equal, or greater, or less than the numbers of the size." 



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