52 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



gardener made us understand, is chiefly cultivated for use 

 in medicine, though the seeds are also sometimes employed 

 tor flavouring particular dishes. Nigella arvensisis likewise 

 occasionally cultivated for the sake of the seeds. 



Agriculture, fyc. 

 In the course of our evening walk, we were attracted by 

 a novel appearance in husbandry ; the labours of the seed- 

 time and the harvest seeming here to be united and cotem- 

 poraneous. We entered a field of luxuriant rye, part of 

 which remained uncut, but a large proportion of which had 

 been cut down this morning, (12th August). The crop 

 had been carried aside ; well-rotted dung had been pretty 

 liberally laid on the stubble ; the Flemish plough was now 

 at work ; and, to complete this picture of industry and 

 expedition, a man was actually engaged in sowing knollen 

 (turnips) on the plowed portions of the same field from 

 which the rye-crop had been reaped in the morning. In 

 this favourable climate and early soil, the Flemish farm- 

 ers very frequently raise two crops in the year on the 

 same field ; the latter being generally some kind of green 

 crop for their cattle, such as map or rape (Brassica Na- 

 pus), sown for the sake of the leaves, and spurle or corn- 

 spurry (Spergula arvensis var.). In Scotland, two crops 

 in the season can seldom be accomplished. If, however, 

 the alacrity which we here witnessed were imitated, tur- 

 nips might; sometimes follow early potatoes. Turnip-seed 

 may undoubtedly be sown with success late in the season, 

 not only in the end of July, but even in the middle of 

 August ; by which time, early potatoes might in general be 

 profitably removed. The common white and yellow turnips 

 would be proper for this crop ; the Swedish turnip would not 

 have tune to come forward. Late sown turnips, it may be 



