18 



THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 



CHAPTER IV. 



ON DEGENERATE ROOTS. 



If the reader revert to page 6, 'Fig. 3, lie will 

 see that the progress from a wild to a better root- 

 form is marked by a more fleshy, but still a much 

 forked, or fmger-and-toed example. Now as it is held 

 that a clear unbranched outline is essential to a well- 

 formed root crop of every kind, whenever a crop 

 becomes fingered-ancl-toed, it is looked upon as a 

 disease. It must be understood that we are here 

 speaking of finger-and-toe as distinct from anbury, 

 which latter is a decidedly diseased condition, whether 

 caused by insects or resulting, as some affirm, from a 

 defect in the soil. 



The difference in the two states may be briefly 

 summed up as follows : — 



FlNGER-AND-ToE. 



Root simply branched or forked, 

 with tapering fleshy rootlets ; 

 occurs in turnips, parsnips, 

 carrots, and mangold. (See 

 figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.) 



Anbury. 

 Root infested with irregular 

 nodular protuberances, or with 

 tumours suspended by roots, 

 having very much the aspect 

 of rows of ginger ; occurs in 

 turnips alone. (See fig. 12.) 



The example of a root at page 6 is a good form 

 of a parsnip progressing from wildness to a better cul- 

 tivated form. We now offer an engraving (fig. 5) of 

 a hollow-crowned crop parsnip, fingered-and-toed, 

 and evidently of a very objectionable form, as it 



