OF ROOT CULTIVATION. 



19 



will be seen on comparison how nearly alike are figs. 

 3 and 5. 



Now, as every degenerate 

 crop of parsnips will be found 

 to offer a large proportion of 

 such roots as fig. 5, we seem 

 bound to conclude that, in- 

 asmuch as our fig. 3 represents 

 a root in jjrogress towards en- 

 nobling, so fig. 5 is that of a 

 root declining to its level, — in 

 other words, degenerating ; 

 seed, therefore, that produces 

 such roots can only come 

 from a poor stock. 



Our next fig. (6) is of a 

 parsnip that had prematurely 

 flowered. Sending up flowered 

 stems the first year, in the 

 case of a biennial, can only 

 be looked upon as an instance 

 of degeneracy. Plants that 

 "run," as it is termed, being 

 comparatively useless, the best 

 use, indeed, that can be made 

 of them being that of pulling 

 them up and giving them to 

 the pigs. 



Fig. 5. — Fhiger-and-toed degenerate Parsnip. Half nat. size. 



Now this propensity is always accompanied with 

 forked roots, more especially in carrots, which roots 

 are even more degenerate than those represented in 

 c 2 



