738 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



Long Black Turnip 

 ( natural size). 



spreading. The roots thus protected can be 

 taken up for use as they are required. 



Long Yellow Turnip. Root entirely sunk 

 in the ground, clean skinned, smooth, regular 

 in shape, gradually narrowed from neck to 

 point, and of a dull or wan yellow colour. 

 It usually does not exceed 6 or 7 in. in length, 

 and the diameter at the neck averages about 

 2 in. The flesh is yellow throughout, fine in 

 texture, rather firm, sugary, and agreeably 

 flavoured. Leaves half-erect, rather divided, 

 and a peculiar dark green. A somewhat late 

 variety, but excellent for table use, of very 

 good quality and keeping well. 



Parisians are prejudiced against the Yellow- 

 fleshed Turnips, supposing that the yellow 

 colour is always accompanied by a strong and 



bitter flavour, which is far from being the case, as amongst the 



Yellow-fleshed Turnips there are varieties the flesh of which is 



very mellow and very delicately flavoured, quite as much so, in 



fact, as that of the White-fleshed kinds. The 



prejudice, nevertheless, exists, and consequently 



should be taken into account by those who 



cultivate vegetables for the markets. 



Long" White Meaux Tuf nip. Root very 



long, cylindrical, but ending in a point, and 



very often twisted or curved, projecting 2 or 



3 in. overground, 12 to 1 6 in. in length, and 



2 or 3 in. in diameter. All the underground 



portion is white; the overground part is some- 

 times cream colour and sometimes tinged with 



pale green. Flesh white, close, half-dry, rather 



sugary; leaves medium-sized, lyrate, numerous, 



erect or half-erect. This is a very productive 



variety, and is principally grown in its native 



district for the supply of the Central Market 



of Paris in the latter end of winter. In order 



to keep them up to that time, the market- 

 gardeners of Meaux cut off the " tops " of the 



plants soon after taking them up, and pile the 



roots in trenches, covering them over with 



sand. During the winter they bring them 



to market in bundles, and, as the roots have 



been deprived of their leaves, they are fastened 



together by a straw rope passed through them Long Yellow Turnip 



near the top. (i natural size). 



