BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS. 



7 



BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS, Linn. 



Subspecies RAP A. 



Turnip; shalgham, chaukan (Hind.) 

 Natural order Cruciferce. 



An acclimatized variety is very generally grown, and as a vegetable is gaining 

 favour, especially with Mukammadans and those castes of Hindus who have no religious 

 prejudices in regard to the supposed resemblance of the turnip to animal food. 



The actual area occupied by turnips in these Provinces cannot be accurately given, 

 as this crop is included under carrots and radishes in the agricultural returns. It is 

 grown by some of the Himalayan villagers up to 12,000 feet. It is sown in the plains 

 between June and September. 



In some of the Punjab districts turnips are extensively cultivated as cattle food ; 

 and as a dry season is favourable to a good crop, they are highly important to the cul- 

 tivator when grass and other kinds of fodder are scarce. From the middle of Novem- 

 ber the turnip leaves are used as fodder, and by the middle of January all the roots are 

 fit for use. In the Multan district the area under turnips in 1882-83 was 35,885 acres, 

 and the cattle receive this food from the middle of November till February. The 

 turnip crop is an important one in the Jhang district, for if the crop fails, or is late, 

 owing to failure of first sowings, the working power of the bullocks is weakened, and 

 the wheat suffers from insufficient watering. The seed is sown broadcast, and the 

 sowings commence in September and go on till November. Three and a half seers of 

 seed are required for one acre. The crop ripens in three months (Gaz. of the Jhang 

 district, p. 111). 



The turnip is cooked, boiled or fried, like other vegetables, and seasoned with spices. 

 It also forms an ingredient of curries. It is often pickled with mustard seed and chillies, 

 and the leaves are eaten as sag. The bazar rate for turnips in Saharanpur is two seers 

 for 3 pies. 



•References:— El. Br. Ind., I. ,156; Roxb. Fl. Ind. (Clarke's Ed.), 497 ; Watt., Diet. Econom. Prod., 1 , 523 ; Atkinson 

 Econom. Prod., N.-W. Prov., V., 13 ; Him. Dist., I., 702 ; DC, L'Orig. PI. Cult., 29. 



