13G PIGTOBtAL PHACTIGAL VEGF.TASLtJ GROWING, 



ago is the veteran of to day. The old Large Red was long the 

 favourite sort, and, unless I am much astray, I can trace its 

 features in many of the modern sorts. It, with Trophy, Hatha- 

 way 's Excelsior, Hepper's Goliath and Acme, held sway twenty 

 years ago. Then came Hackwood Park Prolific, Dedham 

 Favourite, and Perfection ; then Conference, Ham Green 

 Favourite, Maincrop, Earliest of All, and Laxton's Open Air; 

 then Challenger, Chemin Pouge, Duke of York, Early Ruby, 

 Comet, Eclipse, Frogmore, Supremei, and all the rest of them. 

 It is hard to say which is the best. For outdoor work Comet 

 and Early Ruby are two of the best. For indoors Challenger, 



Supreme do well indoors and out. Perfection is almost unbeat- 

 able for show puriDoses. 



"Take away the fiea beetle, and we will do the rest" I fancy 

 I hear many harassed kitchen gardeners groaning this. Well, 

 I have said my say in an earlier chapter about the arch-enemy, 

 and I can add no more now. 



When we have a cycle of dry summers Turnip-growing is 

 difficult ; when we have a series of wet ones it is easy. That 

 sums up the story. Even in dry seasons we may be able to get 

 Turnips by going to work early and late in the year. A sowing 

 in February or March will often give a crop when a sowing in 

 April, May, or June results in failure. Again, a July sowing 

 may come to grief, and a patch put down in August or 

 September will yield well. 



Turnips love coolness, and anything that can be done by 

 deepening the soil, by shading, and by watering, to give them 

 the conditions they prefer is likely to be rewarded. Further, 

 dustings with soot and wood ashes in early morning, when the 

 yo nig plants are probably wet with dew, will help them to fight 

 ilie enemy. It is a great thing to keep them moving when 

 young, and so get them quickly into the rough leaf stage. This 

 is nob everything, for I know to my cost that there is never a 

 stage when the beetle will not attack them, but it is much. 

 Sowing broadcast, in the shade of Peas or other crops, is pre- 

 ferable to sowing in exposed rows. 



Those who have a warm border should certainly try a 

 February sowing, say, of Early Milan. A little protection can 

 be given if a very cold spell comes after the plants are through, 



Duke of York, and Frogmor 



fine. ^ Maincrop and 



Cbapter 27 —turnips. 



