SWEDE TURNIP 



37; 



Common turnips being of more rapid growth are usually sown 

 later than swede turnips. 



The sowing of the main crop of swede turnips usually takes 

 place from the middle to the end of May in the north ; the yellow- 

 fleshed turnips are sown somewhat later, and the white turnips 

 last of all, namely, from June ist to 20th. In the south of Eng- 

 land these crops are sown about a month later than in the north. 



The amount of seed used is from 2 to 3^ lbs. per acre ; the plants 

 are singled so as to stand from 11 to 13 inches apart in the rows. 



For feeding early in autumn small areas are often sown earlier 

 than the dates mentioned above. 



Turnips may also be sown in August in order to provide green 

 leafy succulent food for sheep in spring. 



Yield. — The average crop of white turnips weighs from 20 to 

 25 tons, yellow-fleshed turnips about 20 tons, and swedes from 

 15 to 20 tons per acre. 



Composition. — White turnips usually contain from gi to 93 per 

 cent, of water ; swedes about 89 per cent. ; although in well-grown 

 crops of the latter the water-content is often as low as 87 per cent. 

 A great deal of variation exists ; even ' roots ' growing near to- 

 gether in the same field sometimes vary widely in water-content, 

 and the particular variety, or ' strain ' of seed, manuring, width of 

 row, soil, climate, and ripeness, all influence the composition. 



The amount of soluble carbohydrates, most of which is sugar, 

 averages about 5J per cent, in well-matured white turnips and a 

 little over 7 per cent, in swedes. The fat-content is usually the 

 same in both, namely, '2 per cent., the albuminoids in white 

 turnips average "5 per cent., in swedes about 7 per cent. ; the 

 fibre '7 and '8 per cent, respectively. 



' Roots ' of large size almost invariably contain more water, 

 and are therefore poorer in dry matter than smaller ones. 

 The difference is most marked in white-fleshed turnips, but 

 swedes, and we may say all 'roots,' exhibit similar variation in 

 composition. 



