RAPIDITY OF GROWTH. 393 



enable us to occupy our land profitably, even when only 

 short intervals occur between two regular crops, or to re- 

 pair, in an expeditious manner, the losses so frequently 

 sustained by the failure of the turnip, or other stock-sup- 

 plying crop. Combined with this rapidity of growth, it 

 offers the additional advantage of being adapted for almost 

 every description of our cultivated soils ; the extremes of 

 either the light or heavy class, sands and pure clays, 

 are those in which it, in this respect, like most other 

 plants, is least likely to thrive. On soils of a loamy char- 

 acter, containing a maximum amount of moisture pro- 

 vided it be not in a stagnant condition and in a favour- 

 able climate, it arrives at its fullest development, fre- 

 quently under such conditions reaching the height of 3 to 

 4 feet, and being ready for stocking in 6 to 7 weeks from 

 the time of sowing. To obtain these results the soil, of 

 course, must be well manured and in a high state of fer- 

 tility, as, owing to the vigorous habit of the plant, and 

 the large proportion of mineral substances (see p. 400) it 

 requires to carry on its growth, it is necessary that these 

 should be present in the soil in an available state, or 

 its powers of development will be more or less checked. 

 In all cases it should be remembered that the more rapidly 

 a plant grows, the more important is it that all the con- 

 ditions necessary for its development should be secured 

 to it. 



In regard to mustard, the same attention should be 

 paid in preparing the soil for its proper reception as for 

 other crops which occupy the ground for a longer period, 

 and are considered of more importance than this crop. 

 The tillage operations should be carried as deep as pos- 

 sible, and the soil well broken up and finely divided. If 

 farmyard dung be used, it should be in a well-rotted condi- 

 tion, and any artificial manures should be such as admit 

 of ready assimilation by the growing plants. When 



