By M. De Candolle. 



31 



when ripe, by which it differs equally from every other neigh- 

 bouring species. It cannot be confounded with the Brassica 

 Rapa, its leaves being both glaucous and smooth ; it is thought 

 to be originally of Europe, but its native soil, like that of 

 every plant that has been cultivated time out of mind, is 

 difficult to ascertain ; we may separate it into two distinct 

 races, on the principle of the shape of the root. 



First Race. Brassica Napus oleifera. 

 Navette. Rape. 

 The oleiferous Navette is what is termed in all the northern 

 provinces of France, Navette, Navette dliiver, and Rabette ; 

 in Germany, Rejis, Ruben, or Winter Reps, and according to 

 the Flora Britann tea* Rape,f Navew, or Coleseed, in England. 

 This plant differs from the Navet, properly so called, by 

 its slender root, which is scarcely thicker than the stalk ; 

 it is sown after harvest, in summer, or at the beginning of 

 autumn, and the seeds are collected in the following spring ; 

 sometimes it is sown in spring, to be gathered in autumn ; 

 the cultivators throw it lightly on the ground, and raise the 

 earth afterwards into ridges to clear it of weeds, and place 

 the plants at proper distances ; it appears to be less produc- 

 tive than the true Colsa, but more so than the summer Navette, 

 of which I shall speak hereafter ; these differences are prin- 

 cipally owing to the proportional size of their seeds. The 

 continual confusion, however, arising in botany and agricul- 

 ture, between the Colsa, Navette, Navette of Dauphiny, the 



* Smith, Flora Britannica, Vol. ii. page 719. English Botany, plate 2I 4G. 

 Martyn, Flora Rustica, Vol. iii. plate 103. 



-f- The application of the English term Navew to this plant seems inaccurate, 

 tor the Navew is properly the Chou-navet, sec page 24. Sec. 



