On the Growth of Mangolds, Cabbages, &c. 263 
ference, whilst the riijsning iu 1888 was from three to four 
weeks later in 1888 than in 1887. The comparative growth of 
the wheats in different periods of the summer and the height of 
the straw of each and dates of coming into ear are all observations 
of importance ; but the dates when the corn of each plot was 
ripe are of special significance. On this important point it may 
be observed that the harvest of 1887 was not an early one, and 
that July 28 and 30 were early dates for the ripening of wheat. 
Messrs. Carter's new wheats, according to the reports for- 
warded to me by several growers, appear to possess in a high 
degree the vigour of constitution which is often observed in 
crosses either among plants or animals. One of the growers 
writes to me that the cross grows very vigorously, " in fact it 
runs right away from the ordinary wheat." This account 
agrees with my own observation of Vilmorin's red-chaff white 
wheat (Dattel), a cross which I saw growing last summer, the 
straw being long and stiff, and the grain, as I have since heard, 
proving to be bold and of good quality and colour, yielding 
above the average. 
The only further comment I shall offer on the various facts 
and reports of experiments which have now been submitted to 
the reader is, that if English farmers are to grow wheat success- 
fully they must cultivate only those varieties that possess the 
merits of early maturity, abundance of straw of fine quality, 
productiveness, and high quality, so that in view of keen foreign 
competition the grain may hold its own in the estimation of 
millers, or prove valuable for mixing with the hardest grains of 
India and Amei'ica. 
XI. — On the Oroivth oj Mangolds, Cabbages, Kale, Kohl-Rabi, 
and Silage Green Crops, as Suhstitides for Turnips, and of 
Catch Crops to precede Roots. By Joseph Darby. 
Although English farmers have a wide choice of root and 
green crops, one and all capable of very perfect development 
under fitting management, they have generally during the 
past half-century limited their selections to a very few. To 
such an extent is this the case, that in the fourfold course of 
cropping the term " roots" has been commonly applied to that 
fourth part of it which designates the year in which the land 
shall not have grain or grass, and roots are understood to be 
chiefly swedes, turnips or mangolds. At the latter part of the 
