others that shouldn't be kept hidden 
from you. First, turnip and its cousin, 
rutabaga. Turnips aren't fancy things 
like Brussels Sprouts, but if you took a 
census, there'd be a whole lot more of 
them in the book when you finished. 
There are two particularly good vari¬ 
eties, and their names tell pretty much 
what kind of crop they produce. They 
are Purple Top White Globe and 
Golden Ball. Other good varieties 
are Purple Top Strap Leaf and White Egg. Cousin 
rutabaga keeps better than turnip, and the best kind is 
Improved American Purple Top. 
TURNIP 
RUTABAGA 
SALSIFY 
PARSNIP 
EGG PLANT 
KOHL-RABI 
If you like parsnip, then plant Improved Hollow Crown 
or White Queen. They're pretty much the same. 
Now if you've never eaten salsify, you've a curious expe¬ 
rience in store for you. The other name for salsify is vege¬ 
table oyster, and strangely enough it really tastes that 
way. It grows down into the ground, and should be treated 
in much the same way in the garden as parsnips. The 
variety to use is Mammoth Sandwich Island. 
Only about half of us like egg plant, and not many grow 
it even if they do like it. But if you are a member of 
the "pros" instead of "cons," crusading for a pet vegeta¬ 
ble, you'll get in the best licks with New York Improved 
Purple. 
Kohl-rabi is usually cooked like turnips. Some of us 
sneak out into the garden to eat 'em raw. They have a 
solid crunch like celery hearts, raw, but of course they 
taste different. Use either Purple or White Early Vienna 
Forcing. 
