IRotee, Comntuiucations, anb 
HARVESTING THE SEED OF ROOT-CROPS. 
The root crop of the United Kingdom covers nearly 3,000,000 acres 
annually, which necessitates the growth of at least three times as 
many pounds weight of seed to sow the land once. During the last 
few years there has been an almost unprecedented freedom from 
the attacks of the turnip-fly and other injurious insects ; and, as 
the seasons have been moist at the time of seeding, very few acres 
have required re- seeding. It frequently happens, however, that for 
a series of years a very considerable breadth has to be re-sown. 
Seed- merchants have to be prepared for such an emergency, and it 
thus becomes necessary to grow much more seed than is required for 
sowing the land once. Roughly, at least 10,000,000 lb. of soed 
are required annually, and this, at an average weight of 50 lb. per 
bushel, means that 200,000 bushels of sound seed are required for 
the home trade alone. In addition to this, however, a large export 
trade has to be met. 
The yield of seed is very variable, and, although 35 bushels are 
grown with some frequency, 20 bushels is a good average yield of 
turnip seed per acre, notwithstanding the high culture to which the 
crop is subjected. The growing of this class of seeds is therefore an 
important branch of agriculture. 
By far the greater portion of the seed is obtained from small plants 
produced in seed-beds sown in August and transplanted in the 
autumn, or occasionally in February, when the land has been un- 
favourable for the work earlier. Great care is taken to keep the 
land free from weeds and generally in a high state of cultivation. 
The earliest seed ripens in July. 
The White Turnip is the first to ripen, and is closely followed 
by the Hybrid variety. The Swede is generally from ten days to a 
fortnight later. Kohl-rabi, Thousand-headed Kale, and Cabbage 
come very soon after the Swede. Mangel is very much later, not 
being fit to cut before September, and occasionally October. 
The seed of the cruciferous plants is not allowed to become 
thoroughly ripe before being cut, or great loss results, for when it is 
