THE CULTIVATOR. 
93 
PARSNIPS—AS A FIELD CROP. 
The labor and mode of cultivating the parsnip are about the same 
as those of the carrot. The parsnip produces the larger crop, its 
average product being rated at 24 tons the acre, and that of carrots 
at 12 tons. The parsnip also contains a far greater proportion of 
saccharine matter than does the carrot, is grateful to the palate of 
farm stock, and is greatly conducive to their fattening. It possesses 
another advantage over the carrot, in its hardiness—it may be left 
in the ground till spring, and is not injured by frost. In the island of 
Jersey it forms a regular part of the field system. The roots are fed 
in a raw state to hogs and horned cattle; the flesh of the former 
they are said to render delicately white, and the benefit derived 
from the latter is in the opinion of many growers, nearly equal to 
that obtained from oil cake, in point of the weight of flesh, and so 
superior in flavor, that in the island it always commands the highest 
price. Cows fed upon them during the winter months are stated to 
produce butter of a flavor and color equal to that of the most luxuri¬ 
ant grasses. In Jersey 25 pounds are given daily to the cows, with 
hay, and the cream is more abundant than from an equal quantity of 
milk from cows differently fed—seven quarts producing as much as 
17 ounces of butter. 
If the preceding facts, which we have mostly abstracted from 
British Husbandry , Vol. II, are correctly stated, and they appear 
reasonable, the culture of the parsnip, as a field crop, possesses 
great advantages over the carrot, if not over the mangold wurzel. It 
should not be concealed, however, that they soon cloy with neat cat¬ 
tle, if fed alone; and are not deemed so good for horses as carrots 
—the parsnip rendering them dull, and even affecting their sight; 
while the carrot is found to be more beneficial than grain, and is 
used in Suffolk instead of grain, at the rate of from four to seven 
bushels each horse per week. If any of our readers have tried the 
culture of the parsnip as a field crop, we should be much obliged to 
them for a statement of the results. 
THE TURNIP. 
“ No person,” says Lord Karnes, in his “ Gentleman Farmer,” 
“ ever deserved better of a country, than he who first cultivated 
turnips in a field. No plant contributes more to fertility.” 
The plant, although natural to a northern climate, and thriving 
best there, may be profitably grown in our southern states ; indeed 
we have seen mention of their successful culture in Alabama. The 
southern summer has too high a temperature for then - growth, but 
the southern autumn has not. South of Pennsylvania, if not in 
Pennsylvania, we should think the crop might be left in the ground 
all winter, and fed thence to the farm stock; and in the more sou¬ 
thern parts, they would continue to grow all winter. The time of 
sowing, therefore, should be adapted to the climate. In Scotland 
the Swede is sown the last of May and first of June; with us, it is 
sown the last of June and first of July; in Pennsylvania and Mary¬ 
land, we think it should not be sown till the last of July and first of 
August; and in the southern states, not before September and per¬ 
haps October. 
Two important facts, ascertained by the analysis of the turnip, in 
Drummond’s report, speak highly in favor of the Swedish variety: 
they are found to contain a greater proportion of nutritive matter 
than other kinds, and the proportion of nutritive matter is found to 
increase with the size of the roots, while the nutritive matter of 
other kinds is found to decrease with the enlargement of the 
roots. The nutritive matter may be judged of by the solidity or 
density. Assuming the green top yellows as a medium standard, 
the following extract shows the greater or less density, and conse¬ 
quent nutritive properties, of each kind. 
Should weigh by Actual 
Species and varieties. size and standard. weight. 
lbs. 
oz. 
lbs. 
OZ. 
Swedish, or ruta baga,.... 
. 11 
2 
13 
12 
Green top yellow,. 
. 16 
00 
15 
00 
Red top yellow,. 
. 12 
00 
12 
10 
Dalis hybrid,. 
. 13 
12 
12 
00 
W hite globe,. 
. 20 
8 
15 
8 
Red top white,. 
. 16 
8 
13 
00 
Green top white,. 
. 8 
7 
8 
8 
White tankard,. 
. 16 
00 
14 
00 
Purple do. 
. 12 
10 
11 
8 
“ From the above test,” 
says the report, “ 
the superiority of 
the 
Swedish is very decided, and contrary to other sorts, greater size 
I also indicates greater solidity ; which entirely agrees with the pro- 
; ducts they have been found to afford, of nutritive matter, being fully 
six per cent, and in the larger roots, nearly seven per cent of their 
whole weight; while the white varieties afford four per cent, and in 
the largest roots only three and a half per cent of their whole weight. 
Hence one acre of Swedes should be equal to one and a half of 
white, of the same weight.” 
Transplanting Evergreens. —We mentioned in our last volume, 
that on the 8th July, 1835, we transplanted from the commons, into 
our court yard, at 2 P. M. under a hot sun, the thermometer at 82°, 
six while pine trees, from ten to fifteen feet in height, and feathered 
with limbs nearly to the ground. The six trees are all living, and 
are making a good growth of new wood. Evergreens are best 
transplanted, when actually growing, and even when growing vigo¬ 
rously, if the influence of evaporation can be guarded against. In 
transplanting our trees, a circle of three or four feet was made with 
the cut of a spade around the tree,, and there being no tap roots, it 
was raised to the cart with the earth attached to the roots. The 
holes in which they were planted were nearly filled with water, and 
when the plants were adjusted, coarse barn-yard litter was thrown 
over the roots; this was well saturated with water, and covered 
with an inch or two of earth. The trees were watered once or 
twice afterwards. 
INTERESTING FACTS IN CHEMISTRY. 
OF WATER, 
Ice, when converted into water, absorbs and combines with 140° 
of caloric. Water, then, after being cooled down to 32 3 , cannot 
freeze until it has parted with 140 J of caloric ; and ice, after being 
| heated to 32° (which is the exact freezing point) cannot melt till it 
j has absorbed 140 J more of caloric. This is the cause of the ex¬ 
treme slowness of these operations. There can be no doubt, then, 
that water owes its fluidity to its latent caloric, and that its caloric of 
fluidity is 140 D .— Thompson. 
! However long we boil water in an open vessel, we cannot make 
it the smallest degree hotter than its boiling point, or 212°. When 
arrived at this point, the vapor absorbs the heat, and carries it off as 
fast as it is generated.— Parke. Hence in cooking, we attain the 
greatest heat at the boiling point; though by increasing the fire, we 
increase the evaporation. 
Owing to the quantity of caloric that liquids require to convert 
them into vapor, all evaporation produces cold. An animal might 
be frozen to death in the midst of summer, by repeatedly sprinking 
ether upon him. The evaporation would shortly carry off the whole 
of his vital heat. Water thrown on hot bodies acts in the same 
way; it becomes, in an instant, converted into vapor, and this de¬ 
prives these bodies of a great portion of the caloric they contain.— 
lb. This explains why wet grounds have the coldest atmosphere, 
and are subject to the latest and earliest frosts—the evaporation is 
greatest here, as is also the consequent loss of caloric. And it ex¬ 
plains how draining wet grounds ameliorates the climate, and pro¬ 
motes the health of a neighborhood—the water, instead of being 
evaporated from a broad surface, is concentrated in narrow drains, 
and carried off. 
Steam is water expanded by caloric ; and its force is equal to that 
of gunpowder. It is this expansive force which cause liquids to boil. 
The vapor is first formed at the bottom of the vessel, and, passing 
through the water, on account of its becoming lighter, causes that 
motion which we call ebullition. Water thrown into boiling oil, 
apparently explodes; a single drop coming in contact with the oil, 
would instantly, by its excessive heat, be converted into vapor, and 
would force part of the oil over the sides of the boiler. 
When a living vegetable is moistened with water, and the sun 
shines upon it, two very important operations are performed at the 
same time, by the decomposition of the water which the sun’s rays 
enable the plant to effect, viz. the plant is nourished by the hydro¬ 
gen, and the atmosphere is purified by the restoration of its oxy¬ 
gen. Hence living plants, as shade trees, about dwellings, are con¬ 
ducive to health, as not only adding to the atmosphere oxygen, but 
as abstracting from it carbonic acid gas. But when water and the 
sun’s rays, or heat, are applied to dead vegetables, the reverse takes 
place, and the surrounding atmosphere becomes impure, especially 
the exhalations from dead vegetables at night.- Hence autumnal 
fevers in marshy situations, and often in new cleared districts, when 
