170 



THi; GEI^SEE FARMER. 



is the Common Purple-top Swede, from -wbicb 

 most of the other varieties of "purple-tops" have 

 originated. It is distinguished by the dull red 



and hardiest of all turnips, and is distinguished by 

 I he cabbage-like shape of the leaves, which, by 

 their large hurizoutal growth, form a thick cover- 

 ing to the soil, thereby checking the growth of 

 weeds in the fall. It is a late kind, and does not 

 produce a large crop in sections where winter sots 

 in early. It has one quality which is very im- 

 portant in this climate: it has little tendency to 

 run up to seed. 



The green-top Swede is one of the oldest vari- 

 eties, but is not so extensively cultivated as for- 

 merly. It does not produce as heavy crops as the 

 '' purple-to{)S," but is more nutritious. 



Fig. 4. . Fig. 5. 



color of th* upper part of the bulb. It grows 

 rather deep in the soil, is very solid and nutritious, 

 and is not apt to run to seed. Fig. 2 is Skirving's 

 Improved Purple-top Swede, originated by "Wm. 

 SKiiiviNO, an extensive English seed-grower. Of 



FJg. 6. F'g- '^• 



all the varieties of Swedes we have seen, this yields 

 the heaviest crop, but it is not so solid or nutritious 

 as the old purple-top Swede. Fig. 3 is Laing's Im- 

 proved Purple-top Swede. It is the handaomest 



'^ 



Fig. 8. 

 Thb Tankabd Tuknip.— There are four varieties 

 of tankard turnips: the white, green, red and yel- 

 low. Tlie white (fig. 4) is a turnip of very in- 

 ferior quality and of a crooked, irregular shape. 

 Nearly the whole of the bulb is out of the ground, 

 and it is very liable to injury by frost. It matures 

 early and produces a heavy crop. The green (fig. 

 5) is a much better variety in every respect. We 

 have seen enormous crops of this variety in some 

 parts of England— many of the turnips, as near aa 

 we can recollect, being two feet long and six or 

 eight inches in diameter. The principal part of th« 

 growth is out of the ground, and it is almost im- 

 possible to get throQgh a crop of them acroaa th»» 



