ESCULENT-ROOTED PLANTS.— THE TURNIP. 



189 



This substance is nearly as nutritious as starch, 

 and serves the same purposes when eaten. It 

 contains, however, less hydrogen and more oxy- 

 gen than starch does, and changes more readily 

 into other substances, both in the plant and in 

 the stomach." — J. F. W. Johnston, in Agricul- 

 tural Chemistry and Geology, p. 46, 325. 



Forcing. — This is seldom attempted in 

 this country, excepting in gardens of the 

 highest order. It forms an important 

 part in Russian and German gardening, 

 where otherwise it would be late in the 

 spring before they could be obtained from 

 the open ground. Slight beds of leaves, 

 or of leaves and stable-yard litter com- 

 bined, about 3 feet in height, are, for the 

 purpose of forwarding an early crop in 

 some British gardens, made up in Febru- 

 ary • and when the heat has risen to the 

 surface, they are earthed over, to the depth 

 of 3 or i inches, with light rich soil. The 

 seed is sown broadcast, and covered to the 

 depth of half an inch, choosing the true 

 early white Dutch, or early six-weeks, as 

 coming soonest into use. Air must be 

 freely admitted on all favourable occasions, 

 and, in severe weather, the glasses covered 

 during the night. When the plants have 

 shown their first rough leaves, about the 

 size of a shilling, they should be thinned to 

 the distance of 3 inches apart; and when 

 pulling commences, which will be when 

 they have attained the size of a pigeon's 

 egg, a regular system of thinning should 

 take place by removing the largest first. 

 Slight watering will be required, and that 

 should be applied at from 60° to 80° of 

 heat, with a view of adding to the warmth 

 of the soil rather than abstracting heat from 

 it. The turnip does not, however, require a 

 temperature of more than from 50° to 60°. 



Taking the crop, and subsequent preserva- 

 tion. — From the time the bulbs are of the 

 size of a pigeon's egg, until they attain a 

 diameter of about 4 inches, they are fit 

 for use, and are drawn progressively. 

 When gathered and removed to the vege- 

 table-house, they should be clean washed, 

 the tops cut off close to the crown, and 

 the tail-root close to the bottom of the 

 bulb, in which state they are ready for 

 the kitchen. Those that are intended for 

 winter use may for the most part, in fa- 

 vourable situations, be left in the ground, 

 securing a few for supply in the event of 

 frost, which should be stored by in the 

 root-cellar. In cold, wet, and unconge- 

 nial localities, it is quite necessary that 

 vol. n. 



the crop be taken up and stored for win- 

 ter and spring use, after the manner of 

 potatoes (which see). To prepare them 

 for this a dry day should be chosen, and 

 also one when the ground is dry to pull 

 up the roots, to divest them of their tops 

 and tails, cutting both off close to the 

 bulb. Some, however, object to this, and 

 leave about an inch of the tops, and the 

 whole tail or root entire, alleging that 

 the sap is better retained in the bulb when 

 these curtailments are not made. 



Approved sorts and their qualities. — Garden 

 turnips may be divided into two classes, the 

 yellow and white bulbed sorts. The white va- 

 rieties are most esteemed for table use in Eng- 

 land ; while the yellow, particularly during win- 

 ter, hold the same rank in Scotland. French 

 cooks rarely use the yellow sorts; they are, 

 therefore, less generally grown in gardens, being 

 considered less mild in flavour than the white ones, 

 while many prefer them on this very account. 



Yellow Malta. — This is a beautiful small- 

 bulbed variety, from 1 \ to 2 inches in diameter, 

 of great symmetry in form, slightly flattened 

 above, somewhat concave on the under side to- 

 wards the tap root, which, as well as the neck, 

 is remarkably small ; skin very smooth, of a 

 bright orange-yellow colour ; leaves also small, 

 admitting of their standing close on the ground. 

 This is the very best, for summer use, of all the 

 yellows, and, from its fine small size and form, 

 is usually dressed whole. It is rather tender for 

 winter use. Known also as the Maltese golden. 



Robertson' 's golden stone. — A comparatively new 

 and excellent variety, brought under our notice 

 three years ago by Mr Robertson, Paisley. In 

 shape it is nearly globular, and of a deep orange- 

 yellow colour throughout, very slightly tinged 

 with green on the top, often none; the best 

 yellow for autumn and winter use, as it keeps 

 well, and is exceedingly hardy. It attains a 

 pretty large size. 



Finland. — Is thus described in Messrs Peter 

 Lawson and Sons' " Vegetable Products of Scot- 

 land," p. 1 3, div. iii. : " This is a beautiful little 

 turnip, of a bright yellow throughout, even to 

 the neck, somewhat similar to a small firm yel- 

 low Malta, but differing in the fine colour, and 

 having the under part of the bulb singularly 

 depressed, from which issues a small mouse-tail- 

 like root. It is also somewhat earlier than the 

 yellow Malta." We believe it is also hardier. 

 Our knowledge of it extends to having seen it 

 growing in Messrs Lawsons' experimental 

 grounds, and from its appearance we would 

 judge it, along with the yellow Malta, well suited 

 to small gardens. 



Yellow globe. — Bulbs of medium size, globular, 

 and always nearly under the surface of the ground ; 

 top greenish ; leaves rather small and spread- 

 ing. This is a most excellent turnip for garden 

 culture, and, with Robertson's golden stone, the 

 two most valuable where the larger- sized garden 

 turnips are required. To these may be added 

 the old and long-cultivated yellow Dutch and 



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