On the Specific Gravif i/ of Swede Turnips. 361 
fleece. As tlie farmer wlio welglis liis sheep, practically takes 
them to the scale as found in the field, with full stomachs and 
some dirt attached to the fleece, a record of the live weight of 
these lots under such circumstances may be serviceable as a 
contrast. These sheep were weighed in the field on the 14th of 
February ; they then left the fold and went to be washed ; from 
the 14th to the 25th they lay on clean dry ground, eating turnips 
but having no cake. 
The following table shows the difference in weights at this 
interval : — 
Ffib. 14. J, . , 
UuwasUed, Unshorn, " 
not Fasted. ^hom. ; 
St. lbs. St. lbs. 
Lot 1. Cross from Teeswater .. ..5)3 3 .. 85 3 
„ 2. North sheep 91 6 .. 83 12 
„ 3. Lincohis 101 3 .. 92 1 
„ 4. youtli Downs 78 6 .. 71 0 
„ 5. Shropshire Downs 94 9 .. 85 G 
„ 6. Lcicesters 88 9 .. 80 9 
„ 7. Cotswolds 86 2 .. 76 5 
The first of these tables will probably be the most serviceable 
to the farmer, who sells his sheep in the wool from the field. 
P. H. Frere. 
XXV. — On the Specific Gravity of Swede Tm-nips. 
By Gilbert Murray. 
Having had my attention directed by Professor Anderson's 
writings to the question of the specific gravity of the whole roots 
of turnips, and also that of the juice expressed from those roots, 
I have had these points investigated in relation to several expe- 
rimental crops grown with different manure, and sown at different 
dates and different widths. 
Dr. Anderson, in the ' Transactions of the Highland Society,' 
1856, says that the specific gravity of the whole turnip cannot be 
accepted as indicating its real nutritive value, the proportion of 
air in the cells being one of the determining elements in such 
results ; 2nd. That there is no constant relation between the 
specific gra\ ity of, and the nitrogenous compounds in, the bulb ; 
but 3rd. That such relation does exist between the specific 
gravity of the expressed juice and the nitrogen compounds and 
solid constituents ; consequently we may rely upon this as indi- 
cative of the true feeding values of the several varieties tested. 
Thus the determination of the specific gravity of the entire bulb 
gives its keeping properties, and the specific gravity of the 
