96 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb 



having large, entire, cabbage-like leaves, which, by 

 their spreading, horizontal habit of growth, speed- 

 ily cover the soil between the drills, prevent evap- 

 oration from the surface, and materially check the 

 gi'owth of weeds. It is very hardy, of a fine, glob- 

 ular shape, no neck, and rarely exhibits any ten- 

 dency to run to seed in autumn. It grows to a 

 good size, keeps well, and bears a very high char- 

 cter. 



CULTURE OF THE TUBITIP CBOP. 



It is believed by many that the culture of tur- 

 nips as food for stock is unprofitable. In the hope 

 of making it more attractive, we present the read- 

 er with some very beautiful engravings which we 

 have had executed especially for our columns, of 

 Laing's and Skirvinifs Improved Purple-top 

 Swedes, and a cut of the common White Olobe 

 Turnip. 



Like other crops, this may not be equally advan- 

 tageous to all farmers, as something must always 

 depend on the peculiar circumstances which sur- 

 round each case. Under the ordinary circumstan- 

 ces in which our farmers find themselves, we be- 

 lieve that a portion of the crop of nearly every 

 farm, should be in turnips, of some kind. This 

 opinion is founded upon the personal practice of 

 feeding turnips to stock for mamj years, and con- 

 firmed by the intelligent statements of others who 

 have gained their opinions by a similar practice. 



It is a mistaken opinion, we think, that makes 

 the value of the turnip to consist merely in its 

 amount of nutritive qualities, as compared with 

 hay or grain. As well might we say that salt is 

 unprofitable for stock, measured by the same test. 

 The amount of nutrition in grass is small, com- 

 pared with well-cured timothy or clover hay — yet 

 none will say that the culture of grasses is unprof- 

 itable for our cattle. It is as much the alterative 

 properties of the root that gives it value, as the 

 nutritive properties which it contains, and proba- 

 bly more. 



Figure 2. 



The next is called Skii-ving's Improved Purple- 

 top Swede. This is a well-known variety among 

 our farmers. It was introduced into cultivation in 

 England, in 1837-8. It grows fair, is a good 

 cropper, comes early to maturity, and keeps well, 

 when properly stored. The root is of an oblong 

 shape, and grows higher out of the ground than 

 the old sorts. This habit of growth renders it 

 more readily injured by frost when left standing in 

 the field too late. It is a beautiful plant while 

 growing, is almost as smooth as glass, and the 

 flesh is crisp, sweet and juicy. Cattle fed upon 

 them once or twice are exceedingly eager to get 

 them again. 



The third is the common White Globe, and 

 when grown on new land, in a favorable season, 

 is as smooth as a baby's cheek. The bulb is glob- 

 ular, and skin perfectly white ; moderately large 

 head ; neck fine and small, and ta])-root slender. 

 The first of these turnips which we introduce, is On soils quite rich, this variety has a tendency to 

 Laing's Improved Purple-top Swede, which dif- develop itself to a great size, and to become 

 fers widely from the other varieties of Swedes, in woolly in texture. The flesh is sweet and juicy, 



