466 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 29,188S. 
their crops ; the best time, the older naturalists state, is the end 
of July and the first half of August, but Turnips were also sown 
by them in spring where warm and moist positions could be 
found for them. When we remember how long the Roman 
occupation of Britain lasted, and the ease with which suitable 
spots for planting this and other vegetables might be obtained 
by the Romans near London and at various stations of theirs, 
I think there can be little doubt they were the first to grow 
Turnips on the soil of England. That the vegetable subsequently 
died out here is also evident, nor did Saxon, Dane, or Norman 
bring it over again; probably we owe its reintroduction to the 
Flemings or Walloons, who came over in parties at different 
times during the sixteenth century. By the reign of Elizabeth 
both gentle and simple had become acquainted with the Turnip, 
cooked by boiling or roasted in the ashes upon the hearth. It 
would seem, also, from a passing remark in Shakspeare’s 
“Merry Wives of Windsor,” that when balls were not at hand 
Turnips served as a substitute in some popular games, for 
Mistress Anne Page sincerely declares that rather than be mated 
to a fool she would be willing to be bowled to death with 
Turnips! The name in our vernacular has undergone no 
change; “ nip ” is the Saxon ncepc, in fact the representative of 
the Latin napa, but no maker of dictionaries has been able to 
discover the origin of the “ tur.” 
From old Gerard’s comments upon this vegetable it may be 
surmised he did not grow Turnips himself; he speaks of having 
purchased them at the Cross in Cheapside of the women who 
brought them from their gardens near Hackney village. Although 
much of the land thereabout was low and marshy in Gerard’s 
day, as in ours, there were some hills of gravel and sand, since 
levelled to some extent, upon which nobles, citizens, and others 
had gardens yielding choice fruit and vegetables. Here were 
the nursery and orchards of the famous Lord Zouch, who as¬ 
tonished his contemporaries by his skill in transplanting trees; 
and the repute of Hackney as a locality for horticulture centuries 
ago is proved by an antique silver token, which has on one side 
a figure of Time, with a pile of books on his right and a garden 
plot on his left. Besides Hackney, such suburbs as Hoxton, 
Islington, and Stepney probably had some Turnip fields before 
the outbreak of the Civil Wars, and after the Restoration there 
was an increased demand for the vegetable, as cattle were fed 
with the roots, at least partially, during the winter months. 
Also in some years, when the supply of corn was insufficient, 
Turnips were used as an admixture with the flour. After they 
were boiled the water was removed by pressure, or most of it, 
and an equal bulk of flour worked in. This Turnip-bread, 
however, had few admirers, if many had to submit to eat it. 
As Gerard observes that the peasantry in Wales ate the Turnip 
uncooked, we have proof that it was grown commonly about 
the western districts of England while he was living, though 
Parkinson hints that it was only here and there Turnips were 
cultivated in 1629, but he may have had a prejudice against 
them. For some fancy or other they were not unfrequently 
planted in vineyards or between the rows of Hops. As West¬ 
minster increased its population, the gardeners of Pimlico, 
Chelsea, and Knightsbridge began to cultivate Turnips, and 
m the Georgian era they might have been seen growing upon 
what was then the “ Five Fields,” now an aristocratic suburb, 
or along the sides of the road leading to courtly Kensington. 
But one great objection to this plant, in the estimation of the 
London market gardeners, was the time it occupied the ground; 
a rapid succession of crops has always been a desideratum with 
them because it pays best. 
But although Sir R. Weston had recommended the British 
farmer to grow Turnips extensively, little was done in this 
direction till late in the reign of George I., the practical 
rompter being Lord Townshend. As a natural consequence 
e became the butt of an abundance of jokes, for the small 
wits of that day called him “Turnip Townshend,” and there 
may have been a ludicrous element in his enthusiasm about his 
favourite topic. When in Hanover he observed that much land 
there, resembling some upon his own estate at Rainham, yielded 
an abundant crop of Turnips, and he procured a supply of the 
seed, which he distributed amongst his tenants and other 
persons. The result was more important than could have been 
anticipated. A great change came over the agriculture of the 
county, and not only Turnips, but other valuable produce was 
raised upon land that had previously been left waste. So great 
was the prejudice against the Turnip as a food for sheep, that 
many farmers declared, in the teeth of facts, either that the 
animals would not eat the vegetable, or, that when they did, it 
had an unwholesome effect upon them. Swedes are stated to 
have been introduced to this country by a Mr. Knox of East 
Lothian, who removed to Gottenburg, from whence he sent the 
seeds to Scotland. It was soon perceived that the Swede was 
valuable on account of its hardiness, and the tops, eaten as 
greens, came to be much in request, as offering an agreeable 
variety. In our time it is rumoured one use to which Swedes 
are put is the furnishing a certain proportion of the so-called 
orange marmalade sent into the markets. Sugar is contained 
in the Turnip, and it has been separated therefrom, but rather 
for experiment than with the expectation of profitable results. 
Big Turnips, like gigantic Gooseberries, have served to- 
furnish paragraphs for our newspapers in the dearth of item& 
more important and more novel. It was thought a remarkable 
thing in October, 1828, to produce a Turnip weighing about 
20 lbs., but this has been outdone since, for roots of the- 
Purple-top Mammoth have been shown weighing just upon 
30; yet Pliny tells us the Romans gi'ew Turnit s still 
larger, and describes single roots that weighed 40 lbs., a state¬ 
ment open to doubt, unless that people had some huge, kind 
of Turnip we do not possess, or had a special skill m its 
culture surpassing oars. Miller, in enumerating Turnips, 
mentions a long yellow sort approaching the Parsnip in shape,, 
which appears to have lost favour, though once much liked.— 
J. R. S. 0. 
WEBB’S NEW NUT, DUKE OF EDINBURGH. 
One of the finest Nuts we have ever seen has been 6ent us by Mr. 
T. 0. Cooper of Calcot near Reading. We believe it is one of the many 
Fig. 92.—Nut Duke of Edinburgh. 
’eedlings raised by the late Mr. Webb, Mr. Cooper’s father-in-law, and 
*t adds to Mr. Webb’s reputation both as a raiser and a cultivator. Thie- 
and Davianum, another of his seedlings, are possessed of high merits 
Husk finely downy, but not hairy, about one-fourth longer than the 
nut ; in some cases entire, but generally coarsely though not deeply 
cut. Nut large, the largest seven-eighths of an inch wide and 1J inch 
high ; ovate. Shell not so thin as in Davianum, rather dark brown* 
approaching mahogany colour, faintly striated. Kernel full, covered 
with a pale brown pellicle, firm, and well flavoured. 
This is a very excellent Nut, and ought to be cultivated wherever 
Nuts are grown. It was awarded a first-class certificate by the Royal 
Horticultural Society, October 9th, 1883. 
There are several other of Mr. Webb’s seedlings that are cultivated 
by Mr. Cooper for sale, some of which we have not seen, but which are- 
described in a “ Descriptive List of Prize Cob Filberts and other Nuts 
Grown at Calcot Gardens, near Reading,” in which are instructions for 
the cultivation and management of the Filbert. 
Mr. Cooper, who has succeeded his father-in-law, Mr. Webb, makes a 
speciality of the culture of Nuts, and he informs us that he has added 
nine acres to the original gardens for extending the cultivation of the- 
plants, which are exported to all parts of the world, even to Manitoba 
and Germany. 
CAMELLIAS IN WINTER. 
From now onwards for the next four or five months there will be no- 
flowers which can be produced in a greenhouse or conservatory more 
valued than a constant and good supply of Camellias. They are highly 
