218 VEGETABLES. 



THE TURNIP. 

 The Turnip is an indispensable vegetable in a mixed com- 

 petitive collection. When a class is provided for itself, it is 

 generally well filled, and the exhibits in many cases reach the 

 standard of perfection. Two of the best for early shows are 

 Snowball and White Model, while a good strain of Golden Ball 

 is the best for autumn and winter competition. To grow turnips 

 of fine form, free from coarse fibres and with small roots, seeds 

 should be sown between the middle of May and the end of 

 June on rather poor, light, loamy soil. But the roots must not 

 be starved, else the flesh will be tough ; consequently the earth 

 should be drawn well over the bulbs when about half grown, 

 and a furrow made from which to feed the roots with weak 

 liquid manure without its coming in contact with the bulbs. 

 Bulbs of a medium size are preferred to extra large ones. They 

 should be lifted a day or two before the show and washed, the 

 rough parts rubbed smooth, and any fibres removed ; after 

 which the yellow kinds should be exposed to the light, which 

 improves the colour. The points of merit are : (1.) Form ; 

 (2.) colour; (3.) size. The white should be pure, and the 

 yellow kinds bright and uniform all over. When cut, the 

 flesh should be of one colour, juicy, and sweet. 



THE VEGETABLE MAREOW. 

 In its best condition the Vegetable Marrow is worthy of a 

 place in any collection. The finest varieties for exhibition are 

 Long White, Moore's Vegetable Cream, and Pen-y-Byd. Seeds 

 should be sown in March in pots filled with light rich soil, and 

 placed in a night temperature of about 60°, potting the plants 

 off singly into four-inch pots as soon as they have shown the 

 rough leaf, and growing them on in the heat till they are well 

 established. They should be gradually hardened off, and be 

 ready for planting out about the end of Maj'. They will grow 

 well in any sheltered place in the full sun, where a pit may be 

 dug two or three feet deep, and filled with heating material of 

 any kind, on which a barrowful of soil is placed. As soon 

 as the heat rises, the plants should be put in, well watered, and 

 slightly shaded till they begin to grow. They must be pro- 



