THE RAPE CROP. 



ANOTHER member of this important family (BEASSICA), 

 which we meet with among our "Farm Crops," is the 

 KAPE, which is a name commonly given indiscriminately 

 to two different species of plants, the Brassica campestris, 

 "Smooth-leaved Summer Rape" or "Colza," and the B. 

 napus, or "Kough-leaved Winter Rape" or "Coleseed." 

 They both have much the same habit of growth, but 

 may be distinguished by the form of their roots and 

 also of their leaves. In both the roots are tapering, hard, 

 and fibrous; in the former the principal root is more 

 cylindrical, while in the latter it is more fusiform 

 in shape. The leaves of the first are smooth, fleshy, 

 and of a glaucous tint ; and the flowers are of a bright 

 yellow colour, appearing and ripening late in the season. 

 The leaves of the second are of a vivid green, rougher 

 on the surface and less rounded at their extremities; 

 and the flowers are of a darker yellow, and come out 

 and ripen earlier. The name of "summer rape" is given 

 to the B. campestris, from its arriving at maturity earlier, 

 and also from being supposed to be less capable of with- 

 standing severe winters, than the B. napus or "winter 

 rape;" it is therefore generally considered to be better 

 adapted for a summer or autumn than for a spring crop. 

 They are both biennial plants, like the turnip and other 

 members of the family ; a variety of the colza, however, 

 is cultivated in Germany, which appears to form the soli- 

 tary exception to this rule, flowering and producing its 

 seeds as an ordinary annual. Cultivation has effected well- 

 nigh as great a change in these plants from their original 



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