OF HOOT CULTIVATION. 13 



CHAPTER III. 



ON TEUENESS OF SORT IN HOOT CROPS. 



The importance of trueness and purity of seed arises 

 from the evenness of growth of a good genuine strain ; 

 while if this quality be wanting we have some parts 

 of our crop growing well, whilst others get on but 

 poorly. Thus a free-growing plant beside one over 

 which it has got the advantage, maintains it for the 

 most part through the whole period of growth. 

 Again, some sorts are of value for being early, others 

 for lateness of growth, and some kinds are better 

 fitted for early than late sowing ; if, therefore, we have 

 a mixture in these respects, we may at least expect a 

 partial failure ; for whichever is best for our purpose, 

 if mixed will be accompanied by those which are not 

 so good. A want of trueness to sort may arise prin- 

 cipally from the following causes : — ■ 



1st. Want of selection in seeding bulbs. 



2nd. Hybridization. 



3rd. A mixture of seeds. 



1st. The propriety of selecting the specimens from 

 which seed is to be grown is admitted by all : by the 

 seedsman, who always advertises his turnip and swede 

 seed, for example, as being "from selected bulbs;" 

 and by the farmer, as this announcement is only made 

 to induce him to buy. It is not only important that 

 the roots should be selected, but that they should be 

 stored and then planted in a fresh soil ; for as these 



