BOOK XVII 1. xxxiv. 126-130 



rectly after com or at all events after the bean, since 

 its utility surpasses that of any othcr plant. For to 

 begin with it grows as fodder for all aninials, nor is it 

 the lowest in rank among herbs to satisfv the needs 

 of the various kinds of birds as well, and the more so 

 if it is well boiled in water. Cattle also are fond of 

 its leaves, even man esteeming turnip tops when in 

 season no less than cabbage sprouts, also Uking them 

 when they are yellow and have been left to die in 

 barns even more than when green. But turnip itself 

 keeps if left in the earth where it grows, and also 

 afterwards if left spread out, almost till the next crop 

 comes, and it serves as a prccaution against scarcity 

 of food. It ranks third after wine and corn among 

 the products of the country north of the Po. It is 

 not particular in its choice of soil, growing where 

 almost nothing else can be grown. It actually 

 thrives on mist and frost and cold, growing to a mar- 

 vellous size : I have seen turnips weighing over 40 

 pounds. Among our own articles of diet it is popu- 

 larized by several modes of dressing, and it holds 

 the field for salads when subdued by the pungency of 

 mustard, and is actually stained six diifercnt colours 

 beside its own, even purple : indeed that is the only 

 suitable colour served at table. The Greeks liave 

 produced two primary classes of turnip, the male 

 and the female, and have shown a way of growing 

 both from the same seed, as they turn male when 

 sown more thickly, and also in difficult ground. The 

 smaller the seed is the better its quality. The 

 Greeks distinguish in all three kinds of turnip, as it 

 either spreads out into breadth or makes a round 

 ball, while a third kind they havc named wikl turnip, 

 with a root running out to a great length like a 



271 



