XVIII. ROOT CROPS AND THE TURNIP FAMILY 



THERE are several kinds of plants whose roots and thickened 

 stems have been found valuable as food. They may be placed 

 in about four groups: The first group includes garden beets, sugar 

 beets, and mangel- wurzels; the second embraces turnips, ruta- 

 bagas, kohl-rabi, cabbage, rape, and kale; the third includes the 

 carrot, and allied forms; and the fourth embraces the parsnip, etc. 

 The Beet. The beet is strictly speaking a modified stem and 

 primary root, the latter being really a continuation of the former. 

 The main root is covered with a number of fine hairlike rootlets 

 which drink in the nourishment and moisture from the soil. Beets 

 grow best in a moist climate, but when properly irrigated they have 

 also been successfully grown in dry regions. In addition to the 

 ordinary garden beet, large quantities of sugar beets are grown in 

 this country, from which a high grade of sugar is made. In Color- 

 ado, California, and other Western States are many large sugar-beet 

 factories which manufacture large quantities 

 of beet sugar. Sugar beets are also largely 

 and successfully used as food for stock. 



Mangel-wurzels. These plants generally 

 have flesh-colored roots covered with white, 

 pink, red, orange, or purple skin. Instead of 

 growing its main root entirely below the 

 soil, as is the case with the sugar beet, it 

 frequently has two thirds or more of the 

 root above ground. It is valuable only for 



K.om-rabi. 



stock feeding. 



Turnip Family. This group is supposed to have arisen from a 

 plant native to the coasts of western and southern Europe. It was 

 introduced into England about 1650. The leading forms that have 

 been the outgrowth of this plant are the cabbage tribe, including 

 the common cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kohl-rabi, Brussels 

 sprouts, and kale, and in another distinct tribe we find rape, 



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