32 



THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 



Eight samples of swedes from the same source are 

 in the next table associated with a sample of Skir- 

 ving's swede, grown in our own garden (8), of the 

 following table, and another of turnip (9), grown on 

 a neighbouring farm. We may remark upon the 

 last-named sample, that we had observed the growth 

 of this seed, which was from a very poor crop, half of 

 which had decayed on the ground with the early 

 frost of 1860, and the rest, without transplanting or 

 selection of any kind, was allowed to seed. Now, as 

 this whole crop was so degenerated that it ought 

 never to have been seeded at all, we were anxious to 

 get some of the seed from the bulk, in order to test 

 from its growth this year whether it will not bring 

 forth a degenerate progeny. Its germinating qualities 

 will be seen from the table, and yet it is by no means 

 the worst sample, which seems to show that the 

 others are not naturally bad, but so by mixture. 



Table 3. — Germination of Swedes, ^'c, from Market Samples, 8[e. 



No. 



10 



Copy of Label. 



Ashcroft's improved Purple Top 



New Bangholm 



Skirving's Liverpool 



Green Top 



Marshall's improved Purple Top 



Hewer's Improved White 



Green Major 



Skirving's Swede (own grown)... 

 Green Top Turnip, neighbour's 



farm 



Fosterton Hybrid Turnip 



Came up = 



Failed = 



Failed of seedsman's specimens= 



Taken from 

 /the bags by 

 the Author. 



