TURNIPS. 



green hue ; tlie latter is the hardiest. 

 The globe turnip takes its name from 

 its shape ; it rises more out of the 

 ground, and grows to a greater size ; 

 lil<e the last, it is either entirely white 

 or red, or green near the crown. It 

 is, on the wliole, tlie most productive 

 and hardy. The tankard turnip rises 

 high out of the ground, and approach- 

 es in shape to the mangel wurzel. 

 It grows to the greatest size ; hut it 

 is apt to become spongy if left long 

 on tlie ground, and its weiglit is not 

 in proportion to its bulk. There are 

 red tankards and green tankards, as 

 ■well as white. The green round tur- 

 nip is considered very hardy, and is 

 usually sown late, to be consumed 

 after the winter. Tlie yellow Aber- 

 deen, although somewhat less, is 

 compact, and stands the winter well; 

 it is a very useful variety. 



" Next to those above mentioned 

 come the smaller turnips of* quicker 

 growth, which have mostly been ta- 

 ken from the garden. They should 

 not be sown early, as they are very 

 apt to run to seed in dry weather; 

 but in a moist climate they may be 

 sown at any time in the summer, and 

 they will be in perfection in three 

 months. Thus they may be made to 

 fill up the interval between the early 

 rye or trifolium fed ofi' in spT-ing, and 

 the wiieat sown in autumn. 



" Those who are possessed of a 

 good variety will do well to raise their 

 own seed, as that which is bought 

 cannot always be depended upon for 

 this purpose ; the best-shaped, mid- 

 dle-sized bulbs should be chosen, the 

 leaves being cut off not nearer than 

 an inch from the crown. They should 

 be planted in a mellow soil, in rows 

 three feet wide, and a foot from bulb 

 to bulb in the rows, about March or 

 April. When the pods are well filled 

 with seeds, and these are round and 

 hard, the stem should be cut close to 

 the root and carefully laid under a 

 shed to dry. The seed will ripen 

 there without shedding, and when the 

 pods are quite dry, the seed is easily 

 beaten out with a stick or light flail. 

 Birds are so fond of it that a con- 

 stant watch must be kept ; and this 



is the reason why so few farmers 

 grow their own seed. Turnip seed 

 is often raised in the gardens, and is 

 a branch of industry which every 

 farmer should encourage. lie can 

 readily see that good bulbs only are 

 used, and he secures the seeds he 

 wants. If the seed is kept in a dry 

 granary, it will be good for several 

 years. It is, however, best to use 

 fresh seed, as it always germinates 

 sooner. The seed is seldom steeped, 

 but generally drilled in the rows by 

 a drill-barrow or more perfect sow- 

 ing machine. The best farmers, even 

 on land well manured and in good 

 heart, sow with the seed some artifi- 

 cial manure, as bones, rape cake, or 

 rich dried compost, to accelerate the 

 first growth of the plants." 



Diseases. — "The diseases and in- 

 juries to which turnips are liable are 

 various. At their first appearance 

 their leaves are liable to the attacks 

 of the fly (Aphis and Hallica), the 

 caterpillar, the slug, and the mildew. 

 Their bulbs and roots are attacked 

 by worms of different kinds ; by a 

 singular tendency to monstrosity, 

 known provincially by the name of 

 fingers and toes ; by the anbury ; by 

 canker, and by wasting or gangrene 

 from water or frost. Of all or most 

 of these injurious diseases, it may be 

 observed, that they admit neither of 

 prevention nor cure by art. Under 

 favourable circumstances of soil, cli- 

 mate, culture, and weather, they sel- 

 dom occur ; therefore, all that the cul- 

 tivator can do is to prepare and ma- 

 nure his land properly, and in the 

 sowing season supply water when the 

 weather is deficient in showers or 

 the soil in humidity. 



" The fly {Haliica) attacks the tur- 

 nip when in the seed leaf, and either 

 totally devours it, or partially eats 

 the leaves and centre tiud, so as to 

 impede the progress of the plants to 

 the second or rough leaves. Wheth- 

 er the eggs of these flies are deposit- 

 ed on the plants or in the soil, does 

 not appear to be ascertained ; in all 

 probability they are attached to the 

 former, as in the gooseberry cater- 

 pillar, and most cases of flics and in- 



815 



