Ivfiuence of Climate on Cultivation. 
491 
other plants, a low tempe^a^Jre and an impoverished soil favour 
the production of flowers and seeds, while a high temperature 
and rich soil have effects exactly opposite. The increased pre- 
cariousness of the turnip crop in Scotland of late years has 
been the means of directing more attention to the culture of 
mangold. These efforts have been by no means unsuccessful. 
Mr. Hope, of Fentonbam, reports that, while the best fields of 
Swedes in the plains of the Lothians weighed from 12 to 16 tons 
to the acre last season (1859), some fields of mangold weighed 
from 24 to 38 tons to the acre. The summer was no doubt 
unusually dry and warm, and turnips have not been so poor a 
crop for many years. 
Turnips. — In ordinary years the Swede turnip in Scotland 
supplies the place which mangold does in the south of England. 
In the north this root can be sown almost as early in some 
of the moister districts as mangold can in the south. The 
period of its growth is extended over the whole summer and 
autumn, if the soil is deep and strongly manured. Indeed, if 
early sowing is practised, there is little danger of too much 
nitrogenous manures being applied, provided always that the 
plants have sufficient space in which they can grow and expand. 
The character of the manures, as in the case of mangold, should be 
of such a nature that they slowly yield up nitrogen to the plants 
during the whole period of their growth. We need scarcely 
say that a perfect system of manuring plants would consist in 
giving a daily supply of food, and in no greater quantity than 
they could take up and assimilate. Under the most favourable 
conditions, however, the Swede cannot assimilate nearly as much 
food as mangold, and, consequently, it need not be so lavishly 
given. 
^A here the climate is dry and forcing, early sown Swedes are 
comparatively inferior as a root-crop. No amount of manuring 
will compensate for the unfavourable atmospheric conditions. 
Under such circumstances the plant does not yield a grateful 
return for the care and labour bestowed upon it, but by late 
sowing the qualities of the plants are turned to better account. 
^\ hen sown at Midsummer, in the south, a vigorous growth 
and moderate crop is obtained by dressing with superphosphate 
alone. Excepting on land more than ordinarily rich, Swedes are 
as rarely attempted to be raised with non-nitrogenous manures 
in the north as mangold in the south. It is onlv the late varieties 
of turnips which are much benefited by such applications ; these, 
being shortlived, comparatively speaking, and the produce greatly 
smaller, do not require much nitrogenous manure. 
When Swedes, or other turnips, are sown about Midsummer, 
the early stages of growth take place when the soil and atmos- 
