IMPROVED STRAINS OF ROOTS 55 



was sold in 1893 to J. J0rgensen, a seed grower in Rosted, 

 Sealand, whose farm gave the name to the strain. 



These two strains, both descended from Lawson's Oval- 

 shaped Yellow, have developed sufficiently distinct characters 

 to deserve to be named as different strains. 



The Sludstrup strain is a cross produced by Michelsen, 

 Sludstrup, in 1896, by crossing the Lawson strain, which he 

 obtained in 1887 from Markfr0kontoret, with the Vilmorin 

 strain, of which in 1895 and 1896 he obtained seed direct from 

 the Royal Agricultural College. The Sludstrup strain has 

 acquired characters from both the parent strains, and is an 

 intermediate form between those two. 



Helweg has estimated the relative quantities of the various 

 varieties of mangel seed sold in Denmark in 1884 and in 1915 

 to be : 



In 1884. In 1915. 



per cent. per cent. 



OfBarres 21 88'5 



Eckendorf 6 9 



Elvetham 61 2 



other varieties 12 0'5 



Among the other kinds of roots a special variety of yellow- 

 fleshed turnip deserves to be mentioned, viz. Bortfeld. This 

 was originally a German root intended for the kitchen. In 

 1885 Chr. Dsehnfeld, of the firm of L. Daehnfeld, Odense, noticed 

 some fine large specimens in the local market and secured seed 

 from the grower. He found that they developed so rapidly 

 that they could be sown in the autumn after rye on land which 

 was otherwise left fallow. In 1888 the seed was offered to the 

 trade and shown at exhibitions at Copenhagen under the name 

 Funen Bortfeld. This kind of turnip is now grown extensively 

 both in Denmark and Sweden, and competes with Yellow 

 Tankard. It is a long oval root, cream coloured, the top being 

 of the same colour as the lower part. 



The second series of the Comparative Cultivations of the 

 different strains of roots held from 1900 to 1910 had effected 

 a rough sorting, many less productive strains had dropped out, 

 and the good strains had become more widely grown. A great 

 step forward had been made, such as had been contemplated 

 by Helweg in 1888, viz. a few good strains held the field. This 

 is an advantage, inasmuch as the work of improving the strains 



