THE TURNIP. 97 



THE TURNIP. 



English Turnip. Brassica rapa. 



The common Turnip is a hardy, biennial plant, indigenous 

 to Great Britain, France, and other parts of Europe. The 

 roots of all the varieties attain their full size during the first 

 year. The radical leaves are hairy and rough, and are usu- 

 ally lobed, or lyrate, but, in some of the sorts, nearly spat- 

 ulate, with the borders almost entire. The flowers are pro- 

 duced in May and June of the second year, and the seeds 

 ripen in July ; the flower-stalk rises three feet or more in 

 height, with numerous branches ; the leaves are clasping, 

 and much smoother and more glaucous than the radical 

 leaves of the growth of the previous year ; the flowers are 

 yellow, and are produced in long, loose, upright, terminal 

 spikes ; the seeds are small, round, black, or reddish-brown, 

 and are very similar, in size, form, and color, in the different 

 varieties, ten thousand are contained in an ounce, and they 

 retain their vitality from five to seven years. 



Propagation and Culture. All the sorts are propagated 

 by seeds ; which should be sown where the plants are to 

 remain, as they do not generally succeed well when trans- 

 planted. Sowings for early use may be made the last of 

 April, or beginning of May ; but as the bulbs are seldom 

 produced in perfection in the early part of the season, or 

 under the influence of extreme heat, the sowing should be 

 confined to a limited space in the garden. The seeds may 

 be sown broadcast or in drills : if sown in drills, they should 

 be made about fourteen inches apart, and half an inch in 

 depth. The young plants should be thinned to five or six 

 inches asunder. For a succession, a few seeds may be sown, 

 at intervals of a fortnight, until the last week in July ; from 

 which time, until the 10th of August, the principal sowing 

 is usually made for the winter's supply. In the Middle States, 

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