Plant medium or small, rarely blossoming, and decaying early in the

season; tubers of medium size, white, roundish; flesh yellowish-white,

dry, mealy, and mild flavored. It yields well, and is a good variety for

early garden culture. Introduced.

FLOUR-BALL.

Plant reclining, of rather slender habit, rarely blossoming; tubers of

medium size, white, round, the skin quite rough or netted; flesh white,

dry, farinaceous, and mild flavored. It yields abundantly, and is a good

sort for the garden; but would prove less profitable for growing for the

market than many other varieties of larger size.

FLUKE KIDNEY. _Cot. Gard._

Plant vigorous, with luxuriant, deep-green foliage; continuing its

growth till late in the season, or until destroyed by frost. The tuber

is remarkable for its singular shape, of a flattened oval, frequently

measuring eight or nine inches in length by nearly three inches in

width. The peel is thin, and remarkably free from eyes; the surface,

very smooth and even; the flesh is very dry, mealy, and farinaceous,

exceedingly well flavored, and, in general excellence, surpassed by few,

if any, of the late varieties. It is also healthy, hardy, and very

productive; but is much better towards spring than when used soon after

being harvested.

The variety originated near Manchester, Eng., about the year 1844; and

appears to be a cross or hybrid between the Lapstone Kidney and

Pink-eye.

In this country, the variety has never reached the degree of excellence

it appears to have attained in England. With us the yield has been

small, and it has suffered greatly from disease. The flesh is also

yellow when cooked, and quite strong flavored. Not recommended for

cultivation.

FORTY-FOLD.

An English variety. Plant healthy, ripening about the middle of

September, rarely producing seed or blossoms; tubers white, of medium

size, round; skin rough or netted; flesh white, comparatively dry, and

well flavored. It yields abundantly; is a good kind for forcing; and,

though the plants remain green until frost, the tubers attain a

suitable size for use quite early in the season. An English sort, known

as Taylor's Forty-fold, is quite distinct; the tubers being oval, much

flattened, and of a reddish color.

GARNET CHILI.

Stem not long or tall, rather erect, sturdy, and branching; flowers

abundant, pale purplish-white, and usually abortive; tubers red, or

garnet-colored, very large, roundish, and comparatively smooth and

regular; flesh white, dry, mealy, and, the size of the tuber considered,

remarkably well flavored. The variety is healthy, yields abundantly, is

greatly superior to the Peach-blow and kindred sorts for table use, and

might be profitably grown for farm-purposes. The plants survive till

destroyed by frost.

GILLYFLOWER.

Tubers large, oval, or oblong, flattened, white, and comparatively

smooth; flesh white, dry, and of fair quality. The plants are healthy,

and the variety is very productive: but it is inferior to many others

for table use; though its uniform good size, and its fair form, and

whiteness, make it attractive and salable in the market. It is similar

to, if not identical with, the St. Helena and the Laplander.

GREEN-TOP.

Plant strong and vigorous; flowers dull white, generally abortive;

tubers quite large, white, roundish, often irregular; eyes deep-set;

flesh white, comparatively dry, and well flavored. The variety is

productive, and of healthy, hardy habit; not early; the plants

continuing green till destroyed by frost. Introduced.

HILL'S EARLY.

An old variety, very little, if at all, earlier than the White Chenango.

Quality not much above mediocrity; its chief recommendation being its

earliness. Skin and flesh yellowish-white; eyes rather deeply sunk; size

medium; form roundish; moderately productive. It does not ordinarily

cook dry and mealy; and, though desirable as an early potato for a

limited space in the garden, cannot be recommended for general

cultivation.

IRISH CUPS.

Tubers nearly round, yellowish-white; eyes deep-set; flesh yellow, and

strong flavored when cooked. Unfit for table use.

Aside from the difference in form, the variety somewhat resembles the

Rohan.

JACKSON WHITE.

This comparatively new but very excellent variety originated in Maine;

and is supposed to be a seedling from the celebrated Carter, which it

much resembles. Tubers yellowish-white, varying in size from medium to

large; form somewhat irregular, but generally roundish, though sometimes

oblong and a little flattened; eyes rather numerous, and deeply sunk;

flesh perfectly white when cooked, remarkably dry, mealy, farinaceous,

and well flavored.

The variety unquestionably attains its greatest perfection when grown in

Maine, or the northern sections of Vermont and New Hampshire; but is

nevertheless of good quality when raised in the warmer localities of New

England and the Middle States. It is earlier than the Davis Seedling;

comparatively free from disease; a good keeper; commands the highest

market-price; and, every thing considered, must be classed as one of the

best, and recommended for general cultivation.

The plants are very erect, the flowers nearly white; and the balls, or

berries, are produced in remarkable abundance.

JENNY LIND.

Rhode-Island Seedling.

A variety of comparatively recent introduction. Plant very strong and

vigorous; tubers of extraordinary size when grown in strong soils, long

and somewhat irregular in form, thickly set on the surface with small

knobs, or protuberances, above which the eyes are placed in rather deep

basins, or depressions; color red and white intermixed, in some

specimens mostly red, while in others white is the prevailing color;

flesh yellow when cooked, and quite coarse, but esteemed by many as of

good quality for table use.

One of the largest of all the varieties, remarkably productive, quite

free from disease, keeps well, and, as an agricultural potato, rivals

the Rohan. Requires the full season. It sports more than any potato;

being exceedingly variable in size, form, and color.

LADY'S FINGER.

Ruffort Kidney. _Law._

Stem from one foot and a half to two feet high, of straggling habit of

growth; leaves smooth, and of a light-green color; blossoms rarely if

ever produced; tubers white, smooth, long, and slender, and of nearly

the same diameter throughout; eyes very numerous, and slightly

depressed.

A very old variety, of pretty appearance, long cultivated, and much

esteemed as a baking potato; its peculiar form being remarkably well

adapted for the purpose. It is, however, very liable to disease; and as

many of the recently introduced seedlings are quite as good for baking,

as well as far more hardy and productive, it cannot now be considered as

a variety to be recommended for general culture.

LAPSTONE KIDNEY. _M'Int._

Nichol's Early.

A variety of English origin. M'Intosh describes it as being "decidedly

the best kidney potato grown, and an excellent cropper. Tubers sometimes

seven inches in length, and three inches in breadth. It is longer in

coming through the ground in spring than most other varieties, and the

stems at first appear weakly; but they soon lose this appearance, and

grow most vigorously. It is a first-rate potato in August and September;

and will keep in excellent condition till May following, without losing

either its mealiness or flavor."

LONG RED.

Form long, often somewhat flattened,--its general appearance being not

unlike that of the Jenny Lind, though of smaller size; color red; flesh

marbled or clouded with red while crude, but, when cooked, becoming

nearly white. The stem-end is often soggy, and unfit for use; and the

numerous prongs and knobs which are often put forth on the sides of the

tubers greatly impair their value for the table.

A few years since, this variety was exceedingly abundant in the market,

and was esteemed one of the best sorts for use late in spring and early

in summer. It was also remarkably healthy and very productive, and was

considered one of the most valuable kinds for general cultivation. It

has somewhat improved in quality by age, although not now to be classed

as a potato of first quality. The Jenny Lind and other varieties are now

rapidly superseding it in most localities.

MEXICAN.

A very handsome white variety, long and smooth, like the St. Helena, but

not quite so large; eyes very slightly depressed. It is of poor quality,

quite unproductive, rots badly, and not worthy of cultivation.

NOVA-SCOTIA BLUE.

This old variety, at one period, was very extensively cultivated, and

for many years was considered the most profitable of all the sorts for

raising for market or for family use. Form nearly round, the larger

specimens often somewhat flattened; color light blue; eyes moderately

depressed; flesh white, dry, and good. It yields abundantly; but, in

consequence of its great liability to disease, its cultivation is now

nearly abandoned.

OLD KIDNEY.

Tubers kidney-shaped, white; flesh yellow, rather waxy, and of

indifferent flavor.

It is neither very productive, nor very valuable in other respects; and

it is now little cultivated.

PEACH-BLOW.

Tubers similar in form to the Davis Seedling, but rather more smooth and

regular; color red, the eyes not deeply sunk; flesh yellow when cooked,

dry and mealy, but only of medium quality, on account of its

comparatively strong flavor.

It is hardy and quite productive; keeps well; and is extensively

cultivated for market in the northern parts of New England and the State

of New York, as well as in the Canadas. It is common to the markets of

most of the large seaport cities; and, during the winter and spring, is

shipped in large quantities to the interior and more southern sections

of the United States. The Davis Seedling--which is quite as productive,

and much superior in quality for table use--might be profitably grown as

a substitute.

PINK-EYED.

Tubers nearly round; eyes rather large and deep; color mostly white,

with spots and splashes of pink, particularly about the eyes; flesh

yellow.

The Pink-eyed is an old but inferior variety, hardly superior in quality

to the Vermont White. Though quite productive, it is generally esteemed

unworthy of cultivation.

POGGY, OR PORGEE.

Cow-horn.

A dark-colored variety, extensively cultivated in the British Provinces,

particularly in Nova Scotia; and, during the autumn, imported in

considerable quantities into the principal seaports of the United

States. It is of excellent quality, and by some preferred to all others,

especially for baking; for which purpose, on account of its size and

remarkable form, it seems peculiarly adapted. It is moderately

productive, and succeeds well if seed is procured every year or two from

the East; but, if otherwise, it soon deteriorates, even under good

cultivation.

Size above medium; form long, broadest, and somewhat flattened, at the

stem-end, and tapering towards the opposite extremity, which is often

more or less sharply pointed. It is also frequently bent, or curved;

whence the name "Cow-horn," in some localities. Skin smooth; eyes not

depressed; color dark-blue outside, white within when cooked. Not very

hardy; requiring a full season for its complete perfection. Unless where

well known, its color is objectionable; and it is generally less salable

than the white-skinned varieties.

QUARRY.

A large, white, roundish, English potato, not unlike the variety

universally known and cultivated many years since in this country as the

Orange Potato. Plant vigorous, and of strong, stocky habit; flowers

purple, generally abortive; flesh yellowish-white, of fair quality for

table use. A hardy, very productive sort, which might be profitably

grown for marketing and for agricultural purposes. The plants survive

till frost. Not early.

ROHAN.

Tubers very large, in form much resembling the Jenny Lind,--the

full-developed specimens being long, and the smaller or immature tubers

nearly round; eyes numerous and deep-set; color yellowish-white, with

clouds or patches of pink or rose; flesh greenish-white when cooked,

yellowish, watery, and strong flavored. The plant is strong and

vigorous, and continues its growth till destroyed by frost. The flowers

are generally abortive.

Mr. Hyde describes it as a variety famous in history, but infamous as a

table potato, and fit only for stock. It formerly gave an immense yield,

but now produces only moderate crops; and its cultivation is nearly

abandoned.

SHAW'S EARLY. _M'Int._

An English variety, much employed for forcing, and extensively

cultivated in the vicinity of London for early marketing. It is, for an

early sort, a large, beautiful, oblong, white-skinned potato. Its only

fault is its hollow eyes. It is very productive.

STATE OF MAINE.

This variety, as implied by its name, is of Maine origin, and was

introduced to general notice six or seven years ago. In form, the tubers

are similar to the White Chenango, being long, smooth, and somewhat

flattened; though the smaller and undeveloped bulbs are often nearly

round. Eyes almost even with the surface, and quite numerous; color

white, like the Jackson White. When cooked, the flesh is white, very

dry, mealy, and of good flavor.

It is quite early, but more liable to disease than the Davis Seedling

and some other varieties. In Maine it is grown in great perfection,

nearly equalling the Jackson White and Carter as a table potato. On

light soil, it is only moderately productive; but on strong land, in

high cultivation, yields abundantly.

ST. HELENA.

Laplander.

An old and very productive variety. Plant erect, and of a bushy habit,

about two feet and a half in height; foliage light green; flowers pale

reddish-purple. The tubers are of an oblong form, and remarkably large;

specimens having been produced measuring ten inches in length. Eyes

numerous, but not deeply set; skin white and smooth; flesh white when

cooked, mealy, and of fair quality. It is a very healthy variety, and

not easily affected by disease; but belongs to that class of late field

potatoes, the foliage of which does not in ordinary seasons decay until

injured by frost, and the tubers of which generally require to be kept

some time before they are fit for using to the greatest advantage.

TAYLOR'S FORTY-FOLD. _Law._

Forty-fold.

Plant about one foot and a half high, slender, and spreading in habit;

foliage light green; flowers very rarely produced; tubers oval, much

flattened, and of medium size; skin rough, and of a dull, reddish color.

This variety is very dry and starchy, well flavored, and suffers

comparatively little from disease. It is also very productive, and a

good early sort for the garden; but not well adapted for field culture,

or for cultivation for agricultural purposes.

TOLON.

Plant quite low and dwarf, decaying with the season; flowers

lilac-purple, large and handsome, generally abortive; tubers of medium

size, roundish, of a pink or reddish color; flesh yellow, dry, but not

of so mild a flavor as many of the more recent kinds. Moderately

productive. Introduced.

VERMONT WHITE.

A very fair and good-sized but poor variety, grown to a considerable

extent in the northern and more interior portions of New England. Color

white outside; but the flesh, when cooked, is yellow, soft, not dry, and

strong flavored. It is a strong grower, and very productive, but rots

badly. It commands only a low price in the market, on account of its

very inferior quality; and cannot be recommended for general

cultivation.

VETO, OR ABINGTON BLUE.

Tubers long, resembling in form those of the Long Red, and, like that

variety, often watery at the stem-end after being cooked; color blue or

purplish; flesh white; quality fair as a table potato.

This variety originally was remarkably productive, and at one period was

in very general cultivation; but now is rarely planted, as it is

extremely liable to disease, and rots badly.

WHITE CHENANGO.

Chenango. Mercer, of New York.

An old and familiar variety; at one period almost everywhere known, and

generally acknowledged as the best of all varieties. As a potato for

early planting, whether for family use or for the market, it was a

general favorite; but, within a few years past, it has not only greatly

deteriorated in quality and productiveness, but has been peculiarly

liable to disease and premature decay of the plants. When well grown,

the tubers are of good size, rather long, slightly flattened, and

comparatively smooth; eyes slightly sunk; color white, with blotches of

purple,--before cooking, somewhat purple under the skin; flesh, when

cooked, often stained with pale purple; in its crude state, zoned with

bright purple. Quality good; dry, mealy, and well flavored.

The variety is considerably affected by the soil in which it may be

cultivated; in some localities, being much more colored than in others.

It is now rapidly giving place to new seedling varieties, quite as good

in quality, and more healthy and productive.

WHITE CUPS.

Tubers long and flattened, somewhat irregular; eyes deeply sunk; skin

yellowish; flesh white.

It is a very handsome variety, of Maine origin, but is only moderately

productive. It is also of ordinary quality, rots easily, and will

probably never become popular.

WHITE MOUNTAIN.

Tubers large, long, white, smooth, uniformly fair and perfect. Appears

to be nearly identical with the St. Helena and Laplander. It is very

productive, and a good agricultural variety; but, for table use, can be

considered only of second quality.

WORCESTER SEEDLING.

Dover. Riley.

Tubers of a pinkish-white color, and similar in form to the Jackson

White. Eyes deep-set; flesh white, more so than that of the Davis

Seedling. It keeps well, and is an excellent variety for cultivation for

family use, but less profitable than many others for the market. Stalks

upright; blossoms pinkish, but not abundant.

In quality, this comparatively old and well-known variety is nearly or

quite equal to the Carter; and, besides, is much more productive. As a

garden potato, it deserves general cultivation. Requires the full

season.

* * * * *

THE RADISH.

Raphanus sativus.

The Radish is a hardy annual plant, originally from China. The roots

vary greatly in form; some being round or ovoid, some turbinate, and

others fusiform, or long, slender, and tapering. When in flower, the

plant rises from three to four feet in height, with an erect, smooth,

and branching stem. The flowers are quite large, and, in the different

kinds, vary in color from clear white to various shades of purple. The

seed-pods are long, smooth, somewhat vesiculate, and terminate in a

short spur, or beak. The seeds are round, often irregularly flattened or

compressed: those of the smaller or spring and summer varieties being of

a grayish-red color; and those of the winter or larger-rooted sorts, of

a yellowish-red. An ounce contains from three thousand three hundred to

three thousand six hundred seeds, and they retain their vitality five

years.

_Soil, Propagation, and Cultivation._--All the varieties thrive best in

a light, rich, sandy loam; dry for early spring sowings, moister for the

summer.

Like all annuals, the Radish is propagated by seeds, which may be sown

either broadcast or in drills; but the latter method is preferable, as

allowing the roots to be drawn regularly, with less waste. For the

spindle-rooted kinds, mark out the drills half an inch deep, and five or

six inches apart; for the small, turnip-rooted kinds, three-quarters of

an inch deep, and six inches asunder. As the plants advance in growth,

thin them so as to leave the spindle-rooted an inch apart, and the

larger-growing sorts proportionally farther.

"_For raising early Radishes without a Hot-bed._--Sow in the open ground

the last of March or early in April, arch the bed over with hoops or

pliant rods, and cover constantly at night and during cold days with

garden-matting. In moderate days, turn up the covering at the side next

the sun; and, if the weather is very fine and mild, remove it entirely."

_Open Culture._--Sow in spring as soon as the ground can be worked. If

space is limited, radishes may be sown with onions or lettuce. When

grown with the former, they are said to be less affected by the maggot.

For a succession, a small sowing should be made each fortnight until

midsummer, as the early-sown plants are liable to become rank, and unfit

for use, as they increase in size.

Radishes usually suffer from the drought and heat incident to the

summer; and, when grown at this season, are generally fibrous and very

pungent. To secure the requisite shade and moisture, they are sometimes

sown in beds of asparagus, that the branching stems may afford shade for

the young radishes, and render them more crisp and tender. A good

criterion by which to judge of the quality of a Radish is to break it

asunder by bending it at right angles. If the parts divide squarely and

freely, it is fit for use.

_Production and Quantity of Seed._--To raise seed of the spring or

summer Radishes, the best method is to transplant; which should be done

in May, as the roots are then in their greatest perfection. Take them up

in moist weather; select plants with the shortest tops and the smoothest

and best-formed roots; and set them, apart from all other varieties, in

rows two feet and a half distant, inserting each root wholly into the

ground, down to the leaves. With proper watering, they will soon strike,

and shoot up in branching stalks, producing abundance of seeds, ripening

in autumn.

One ounce and a half of seed will sow a bed five feet in width and

twelve feet in length. Ten pounds are required for seeding an acre.

The excellence of a Radish consists in its being succulent, mild, crisp,

and tender; but, as these qualities are secured only by rapid growth,

the plants should be frequently and copiously watered in dry weather.

The varieties are divided into two classes; viz., Spring or Summer, and

Autumn or Winter, Radishes.

SPRING OR SUMMER RADISHES.

These varieties are all comparatively hardy, and may be sown in the open

ground as early in spring as the soil is in good working condition. The

earliest spring Radishes are grown as follows: "In January, February, or

March, make a hot-bed three feet and a half wide, and of a length

proportionate to the supply required. Put upon the surface of the dung

six inches of well-pulverized earth; sow the seeds broadcast, or in

drills five inches apart; and cover half an inch deep with fine mould.

When the plants have come up, admit the air every day in mild or

tolerably good weather by tilting the upper end of the light, or

sometimes the front, one, two, or three inches high, that the Radishes

may not draw up long, pale, and weak. If they have risen very thick,

thin them, while young, to about one inch apart. Be careful to cover the

sashes at night with garden mats, woollen carpeting, or like material.

Water with tepid water, at noon, on sunny days. If the heat of the bed

declines much, apply a moderate lining of warm dung or stable-litter to

the sides, which, by gently renewing the heat, will soon forward the

Radishes for pulling. Remember, as they advance in growth, to give more

copious admissions of air daily, either by lifting the lights in front

several inches, or, in fine, mild days, by drawing the lights mostly

off; but be careful to draw them on early, before the sun has much

declined and the air become cool."

EARLY BLACK.

Noir Hatif. _Vil._

Bulb nearly spherical, slightly elongated or tapering, nearly of the

size and form of the Gray Turnip-rooted; skin dull black, rough, and

wrinkled; flesh white, solid, crisp, and piquant; leaves of the size of

those of the Gray Turnip-rooted. Season intermediate between that of the

last named and the Black Spanish.

EARLY LONG PURPLE.

Rave Violette Hative. _Vil._

A sub-variety of the Long Purple, earlier and of smaller size.

EARLY PURPLE TURNIP-ROOTED.

A few days earlier than the Scarlet Turnip-rooted. Size, form, and

flavor nearly the same.

EARLY SCARLET TURNIP-ROOTED.

Rond Rose Hatif. _Vil._

Bulb spherical, or a little flattened,--often bursting or cracking

longitudinally before attaining its full dimensions; skin deep scarlet;

flesh rose-colored, crisp, mild, and pleasant; neck small; leaves few in

number, and of smaller size than those of the common Scarlet

Turnip-rooted. Season quite early,--two or three days in advance of the

last named.

As a variety for forcing, it is considered one of the best; but the

small size of the leaves renders it inconvenient for bunching, and it is

consequently less cultivated for the market than many other sorts.

Extensively grown in the vicinity of Paris.

EARLY WHITE TURNIP-ROOTED.

Rond Blanc Hatif. _Vil._

Skin and flesh white; form similar to that of the Scarlet Turnip-rooted.

It is, however, of smaller size, and somewhat earlier. An excellent

sort, and much cultivated.

GRAY OLIVE-SHAPED.

Form similar to the Scarlet Olive-shaped. Skin gray; flesh white, crisp,

and well flavored.

GRAY TURNIP-ROOTED.

Gray Summer. Round Brown. _Trans._

The form of this variety may be called round, though it is somewhat

irregular in shape. It grows large, and often becomes hollow. It should,

therefore, be used while young, or when not more than an inch or an inch

and a half in diameter. The outside coat is mottled with greenish-brown,

wrinkled, and often marked with transverse white lines. The flesh is

mild, not so solid as that of many varieties, and of a greenish-white

color. The leaves are similar to those of the Yellow Turnip-rooted,

growing long and upright, with green footstalks. Half early, and a good

variety for summer use.

LONG PURPLE. _Thomp._

Root long, a large portion growing above ground; skin deep purple; flesh

white, and of good flavor.

The seed-leaves, which are quite large, are used as a small salad. The

variety is early, and good for forcing. When the green tops are required

for salading, the seeds should be sown in drills, as mustard or cress.

LONG SALMON. _Trans._

Long Scarlet Salmon.

This variety has been considered synonymous with the Long Scarlet; but

it is really a distinct sort. The neck of the root rises about an inch

above the ground, like that of the Scarlet, but it is of a paler red;

and this color gradually becomes lighter towards the middle, where it is

a pale-pink or salmon color. From the middle, the color grows paler

downwards, and the extremity of the root is almost white. In shape and

size, this Radish differs nothing from the Scarlet; nor does it appear

to be earlier, or to possess any qualities superior to the Scarlet

Radish, the beauty of which, when well grown, exceeds that of any other

Long Radish.

LONG SCARLET. _Thomp._

Early Scarlet Short-top. Early Frame.

[Illustration: Long Scarlet Radish.]

Root long, a considerable portion growing above the surface of the

ground,--outside, of a beautiful, deep-pink color, becoming paler

towards the lower extremity; flesh white, transparent, crisp, and of

good flavor, having less pungency than that of the Scarlet Turnip;

leaves small, but larger than those of the last-named variety.

When of suitable size for use, the root measures seven or eight inches

in length, and five-eighths or three-fourths of an inch in diameter at

its largest part.

The Long Scarlet Radish, with its sub-varieties, is more generally

cultivated for market in the Eastern, Middle, and Western States, than

any other, or perhaps even more than all other sorts. It is very

extensively grown about London, and is everywhere prized, not only for

its fine qualities, but for its rich, bright color. It is also one of

the hardiest of the Radishes; and is raised readily in any common frame,

if planted as early as February.

OLIVE-SHAPED SCARLET.

Oblong Rose-colored. _Thomp._

[Illustration: Olive Scarlet Radish.]

Bulb an inch and a half deep, three-fourths of an inch in diameter,

oblong, somewhat in the form of an olive, terminating in a very slim

tap-root; skin fine scarlet; neck small; leaves not very numerous, and

of small size; flesh rose-colored, tender, and excellent. Early, and

well adapted for forcing and for the general crop.

PURPLE TURNIP-ROOTED.

This is a variety of the Scarlet Turnip-rooted; the size, form, color,

and quality being nearly the same. The skin is purple. It is considered

a few days earlier than the last named.

SCARLET TURNIP-ROOTED.

Crimson Turnip-rooted.

[Illustration: Scarlet Turnip-Rooted.]

Bulb spherical; when in its greatest perfection, measuring about an inch

in diameter; skin fine, deep scarlet; flesh white, sometimes stained

with red; leaves rather large and numerous.

The variety is early, and deserves more general cultivation, not only on

account of its rich color, but for the crisp and tender properties of

its flesh. It is much esteemed in England, and is grown extensively for

the London market.

SMALL, EARLY, YELLOW TURNIP-ROOTED.

Bulb of the size and form of the Scarlet Turnip-rooted; skin smooth,

yellow; flesh white, fine-grained, crisp, and rather pungent; foliage

similar to that of the scarlet variety; season ten or fifteen days

later.

WHITE, CROOKED.

Tortillée Du Mans. _Vil._

Root very long; when suitable for use, measuring twelve inches and

upwards in length, and an inch in diameter, nearly cylindrical, often

irregular, and sometimes assuming a spiral or cork-screw form; skin

white and smooth; flesh white, not so firm as that of most varieties,

and considerably pungent; leaves very large.

WHITE TURNIP-ROOTED.

Bulb of the form and size of the Scarlet Turnip-rooted; skin white;

flesh white and semi-transparent. It possesses less piquancy than the

Scarlet, but is some days later.

YELLOW TURNIP-ROOTED. _Trans._

Yellow Summer.

Bulb nearly spherical, but tapering slightly towards the tap-root, which

is very slender. It grows large,--to full four inches in diameter, when

old; but should be eaten young, when about an inch in diameter. The

flesh is mild, crisp, solid, and quite white. The skin is of a

yellowish-brown color; and the leaves grow long and upright, with green

footstalks.

Half early, and well adapted for summer cultivation.

LONG WHITE.

White Italian. Naples. White Transparent.

Root long and slender, nearly of the size and form of the Long Scarlet;

skin white,--when exposed to the light, tinged with green; flesh white,

crisp, and mild.

It is deserving of cultivation, not only on account of its excellent

qualities, but as forming an agreeable contrast at table when served

with the red varieties.

LONG WHITE PURPLE-TOP.

A sub-variety of the Long White; the portion of the root exposed to the

light being tinged with purple. In size and form, it differs little from

the Long Scarlet.

NEW LONDON PARTICULAR.

Wood's Frame.

This is but a sub-variety of the Long Scarlet; the difference between

the sorts being immaterial. The color of the New London Particular is

more brilliant, and extends farther down the root. It is also said to be

somewhat earlier.

OBLONG BROWN. _Trans._

The Oblong Brown Radish has a pear-shaped bulb, with an elongated

tap-root. It does not grow particularly large; and, being hardier than

most varieties, is well adapted for use late in the season. The outside

is rough and brown, marked with white circles; the flesh is piquant,

firm, hard, and white; the leaves are dark green, and rather spread over

the ground; the footstalks are stained with purple.

AUTUMN AND WINTER RADISHES.

These varieties may be sown from the 20th of July to the 10th of August;

the soil being previously made rich, light, and friable. Thin out the

young plants from four to six inches apart; and, in the absence of rain,

water freely. During September and October, the table may be supplied

directly from the garden. For winter use, the roots should be harvested

before freezing weather, and packed in earth or sand, out of danger from

frost. Before being used, they should be immersed for a short time in

cold water.

_To raise Seed._--Seeds of the Winter Radishes are raised by allowing

the plants to remain where they were sown. As fast as they ripen, cut

the stems; or gather the principal branches, and spread them in an open,

airy situation, towards the sun, that the pods, which are quite tough in

their texture, may become so dry and brittle as to break readily, and

give out their seeds freely.

_Use._--All the kinds are used as salad, and are served in all the forms

of the spring and summer radishes.

_Varieties._--

BLACK SPANISH. _Trans._

Bulb ovoid, or rather regularly pear-shaped, with a long tap-root. At

first the root is slender, and somewhat cylindrical in form: but it

swells as it advances in age, and finally attains a large size;

measuring eight or ten inches in length, and three or four inches in

diameter. The outside is rough, and nearly black; the flesh is pungent,

firm, solid, and white; the leaves are long, and inclined to grow

horizontally; the leaf-stems are purple. It is one of the latest, as

well as one of the hardiest, of the radishes; and is considered an

excellent sort for winter use.

LARGE PURPLE WINTER. _Trans._

Purple Spanish.

The Large Purple Winter Radish is a beautiful variety, derived, without

doubt, from the Black Spanish; and may therefore be properly called the

Purple Spanish. In shape and character, it much resembles the Black

Spanish: but the outside, when cleaned, is of a beautiful purple, though

it appears black when first drawn from the earth; and the coat, when cut

through, shows the purple very finely. The footstalks of the leaves

have a much deeper tinge of purple than those of the other kinds.

LONG BLACK WINTER.

A sub-variety of the Black Spanish. Root long and tapering. With the

exception of its smaller size, much resembling a Long Orange Carrot.

LONG-LEAVED WHITE CHINESE. _Vil._

Root fusiform, sometimes inversely turbinate, about five inches in

length, and an inch in diameter; skin white, and of fine texture; flesh

fine-grained, crisp, and though somewhat pungent, yet milder flavored

than that of the Black Spanish; leaves large, differing from most other

varieties in not being lobed, or in being nearly entire on the borders.

Its season is nearly the same as that of the Rose-colored Chinese. The

plants produce but few seeds.

PURPLE CHINESE.

A sub-variety of the Scarlet, with little variation except in color; the

size, quality, and manner of growth, being nearly the same.

ROSE-COLORED CHINESE. _Vil._

Scarlet Chinese Winter.

Bulb rather elongated, somewhat cylindrical, contracted abruptly to a

long, slender tap-root; size full medium,--average specimens measuring

about five inches in length, and two inches in diameter at the broadest

part; skin comparatively fine, and of a bright rose-color; flesh firm,

and rather piquant; leaves large,--the leaf-stems washed with rose-red.

Season between that of the Gray Summer and that of the Black Spanish.

WINTER WHITE SPANISH.

Autumn White. Blanc d'Augsbourg. _Vil._

Root somewhat fusiform, retaining its diameter for two-thirds the

length, sharply conical at the base, and, when well grown, measuring

seven or eight inches in length by nearly three inches in its fullest

diameter; skin white, slightly wrinkled, sometimes tinged with purple

where exposed to the sun; flesh white, solid, and pungent, though milder

than that of the Black Spanish. It succeeds best, and is of the best

quality, when grown in light sandy soil. Season intermediate.

* * * * *

RAMPION.

Campanula rapunculus.

The Rampion is a biennial plant, indigenous to the south of Europe, and

occasionally found in a wild state in England. The roots are white,

fusiform, fleshy, and, in common with the other parts of the plant,

abound in a milky juice; the lower or root leaves are oval, lanceolate,

and waved on the borders; the upper leaves are long, narrow, and

pointed. Stem eighteen inches or two feet in height, branching; flowers

blue, sometimes white, disposed in small, loose clusters about the top

of the plant, on the ends of the branches. The seeds are oval, brownish,

and exceedingly small; upwards of nine hundred thousand being contained

in an ounce. They retain their germinative property five years.

The plant flowers in July of the second year, and the seeds ripen in

autumn. There is but one variety.

_Soil and Cultivation._--"Rampion prefers a rich, free, and rather light

soil, in a shady situation. It is raised from seed, which should be sown

where the plants are to remain, as they do not bear transplanting well.

The sowing may be made in April, May, or the beginning of June: but

sometimes plants from very early sowings are liable to run up to seed;

and, when this is the case, the roots become tough, and unfit for use.

The ground should be well dug, and raked as fine as possible. The seed

may then be sown either broadcast or in drills, six inches apart, and

about one-fourth of an inch deep. As the seeds are very small, it is

advisable to mix them with fifteen or twenty times their bulk of fine

sand, in order to secure their even distribution in the drills, and to

prevent the plants from coming up too closely. The seed should only be

very slightly covered with fine earth; and the seed-bed ought to be

frequently watered with a fine-rosed watering-pot till the plants come

up, which will be in about a fortnight.

"When the young plants are about one inch high, they should be thinned

out to four inches apart. After this, no further care is necessary than

to water frequently, and to keep the ground free of weeds."--_Thomp._

_Taking the Crop._--The roots will be fit for use from October till

April. They may be taken from the ground for immediate use; or a

quantity may be taken up in autumn, before the closing-up of the

ground, and packed in sand, for use during the winter.

_To raise Seed._--Leave or transplant some of the best yearling plants,

and they will produce an abundance of seed in autumn.

_Use._--The roots have a pleasant, nut-like flavor; and are generally

eaten in their crude state as a salad. "The leaves, as well as the

roots, are occasionally used in winter salads."

* * * * *

RUTA-BAGA, OR SWEDE TURNIP.

Russian Turnip. French Turnip. Brassica campestris Ruta-baga. _De Cand._

The Ruta-baga, or Swede Turnip, is supposed by De Candolle to be

analogous to the Kohl Rabi; the root being developed into a large,

fleshy bulb, instead of the stem. In its natural state, the root is

small and slender; and the stem smooth and branching,--not much

exceeding two feet in height.

The bulbs, or roots, are fully developed during the first year. The

plant flowers, and produces its seeds, the second year, and then

perishes. Although considered hardy,--not being affected by even severe

frosts,--none of the varieties will withstand the winters of the

Northern or Middle States in the open ground. The crop should therefore

be harvested in October or November, and stored for the winter, out of

danger from freezing. Most of the sorts now cultivated retain their

freshness and solidity till spring, and some even into the summer;

requiring no particular care in their preservation, other than that

usually given to the carrot or the potato.

_Soil and Cultivation._--All the varieties succeed best in a deep,

well-enriched, mellow soil; which, previous to planting, should be very

deeply ploughed, and thoroughly pulverized by harrowing or otherwise.

Some practise ridging, and others sow in simple drills. The ridges are

usually formed by turning two furrows against each other; and, being

thus made, are about two feet apart. If sown in simple drills, the

surface should be raked smooth, and the drills made from sixteen to

eighteen inches apart; the distance to be regulated by the strength of

the soil.

_Seed and Sowing._--About one pound of seed is usually allowed to an

acre. Where the rows are comparatively close, rather more than this

quantity will be required; while three-fourths of a pound will be amply

sufficient, if sown on ridges, or where the drills are eighteen inches

apart. The sowing may be made from the middle of May to the 25th of

July; the latter time being considered sufficiently early for growing

for the table, and by some even for stock. Early sowings will

unquestionably give the greatest product; while the later-grown bulbs,

though of smaller dimensions, will prove of quite as good quality for

the table.

_To raise Seeds._--Select the smoothest and most symmetrical bulbs, and

transplant them in April, two feet asunder, sinking the crowns to a

level with the surface of the ground.

The seeds are very similar to those of the common garden and field

turnip, and will keep from five to eight years.

_Varieties._--The varieties are as follow:--

ASHCROFT.

Bulb of medium size, ovoid, very smooth and symmetrical; neck very

short, or wanting. Above ground, the skin is purple; below the surface,

yellow. Flesh yellow, very solid, fine-grained, and of excellent flavor.

It forms its bulb quickly and regularly; keeps in fresh and sound

condition until May or June; and well deserves cultivation, either for

agricultural purposes or for the table.

COMMON PURPLE-TOP YELLOW.

[Illustration: Common Purple-Top Yellow.]

An old and long-cultivated sort, from which, in connection with the

Green-top, have originated most of the more recent and improved

yellow-fleshed varieties. Form regularly egg-shaped, smooth, but usually

sending out a few small, straggling roots at its base, near the

tap-root; neck short; size rather large,--usually measuring six or seven

inches in depth, and four or five inches in its largest diameter; skin

purple above ground,--below the surface, yellow; flesh yellow, of close,

firm texture, and of good quality. It is very hardy; forms its bulb

promptly and uniformly; and in rich, deep soils, yields abundantly. For

thin and light soils, some of the other varieties should be selected.

EARLY STUBBLE.

Bulb round, smooth, and regular. The skin, where exposed to light and

air, is of a brownish-green; but, where covered by the soil, yellow. The

flesh is firm, and well flavored.

The Early Stubble is recommended as forming its bulbs quickly and

uniformly, and as being well adapted for late sowing. It yields

abundantly; keeps well; is a good sort for the table; and, in some

localities, is preferred to the Common Yellow for cultivation for farm

purposes.

GREEN-TOP YELLOW.

In form and foliage, this variety resembles the Common Purple-top; but

usually attains a larger size when grown in similar situations. Skin,

above the surface of the soil, green; below ground, yellow. The flesh is

solid, sweet, and well flavored, but inferior to that of the Purple-top.

It keeps well, is of fair quality for the table, and, on account of its

great productiveness, one of the best of all varieties for growing for

feeding stock.

GREEN-TOP WHITE.

Bulb turbinate, smooth, and symmetrical. The skin above ground is of a

fine, clear, pea-green; often browned or mellowed where exposed to the

direct influence of the sun: below the surface of the ground, it is

uniformly white. The flesh is also white, comparatively solid, very

sweet, and of fair quality for table use. It differs from the Purple-top

White, not only in color, but in size and quality; the bulbs being

larger, and the flesh not quite so firm or well flavored.

The Green-top White is productive; continues its growth till the season

has far advanced; is little affected by severe weather; and, when sown

in good soil, will yield an agricultural crop of twenty-five or thirty

tons to an acre.

LAING'S IMPROVED PURPLE-TOP. _Law. and Gen. Farmer._

This variety differs from most, if not all, of the varieties of Swedish

turnips, in having entire cabbage-like leaves, which, by their

horizontal growth, often nearly cover the surface of the ground. In

form, hardiness, and quality, it is fully equal to any of the other

sorts. Growing late in the autumn, it is not well adapted to a climate

where the winter commences early. It has little or no tendency to run to

seed in the fall; and even in the spring, when set out for seed, it is a

fortnight later in commencing this function than other varieties of

Ruta-bagas. It requires good land, in high condition; and, under such

circumstances, will yield abundantly, and is worthy of cultivation. The

bulb, when well grown, has an almost spherical form; a fine, smooth

skin, purple above ground, yellow below, with yellow, solid, and

well-flavored flesh.

PURPLE-TOP WHITE.

Bulb oblong, tapering toward the lower extremity, five or six inches in

diameter, seven or eight inches in depth, and less smooth and regular

than many of the yellow-fleshed varieties. The skin is of a clear rich

purple, where it comes to air and light, but, below the ground, pure

white; flesh white, very solid and fine-grained, sugary, and well

flavored.

The variety is hardy, productive, keeps remarkably well, is good for

table use, and may be profitably grown for agricultural purposes.

Upwards of twenty-eight tons, or nine hundred and sixty bushels, have

been raised from an acre.

RIVER'S.

Root regularly turbinate, or fusiform, of full medium size, smooth, and

with few small or fibrous roots; neck two inches long; skin, above

ground, green, washed with purplish-red where most exposed to the

sun,--below ground, yellow; flesh yellow, firm, sweet, and well

flavored. Esteemed one of the best, either for stock or the table. Keeps

fresh till May or June.

SKIRVING'S PURPLE-TOP.

Skirving's Improved Purple-top. Skirving's Liverpool. Southold Turnip,

of some localities.

Bulb ovoid, or regularly turbinate, and rather deeper in proportion to

its diameter than the common Purple-top Yellow; surface remarkably

smooth and even, with few fibrous roots, and seldom deformed by larger

accidental roots, although, in unfavorable soils or seasons, a few

coarse roots are put forth in the vicinity of the tap-root; size full

medium,--five to seven inches in length, and four or five inches in

diameter. Sometimes, when sown early in good soil, and harvested late,

the average will considerably exceed these dimensions. Neck short, but,

when grown in poor soil, comparatively long; skin, above ground, fine,

deep purple,--below ground, yellow,--the colors often richly blending

together at the surface; flesh yellow, of solid texture, sweet, and well

flavored.

This variety was originated by Mr. William Skirving, of Liverpool, Eng.

In this country it has been widely disseminated, and is now more

generally cultivated for table use and for stock than any other of the

Swede varieties. The plants seldom fail to form good-sized bulbs. It is

a good keeper; is of more than average quality for the table; and long

experience has proved it one of the best sorts for cultivation on land

that is naturally shallow and in poor condition. On soils in a high

state of cultivation, upwards of nine hundred bushels have been obtained

from an acre.

In sowing, allow twenty inches between the rows, and thin to ten or

twelve inches in the rows.

SWEET GERMAN.

[Illustration: Sweet German.]

Bulb four or five inches in diameter, six or seven inches in depth,

turbinate, sometimes nearly fusiform. In good soil and favorable

seasons, it is comparatively smooth and regular; but, under opposite

conditions, often branched and uneven. Neck two or three inches in

length; skin greenish-brown above ground, white beneath; flesh pure

white, of extraordinary solidity, very sweet, mild, and well flavored.

It retains its solidity and freshness till spring, and often at

midsummer has no appearance of sponginess or decay. As a table variety,

it must be classed as one of the best, and is recommended for general

cultivation.

WHITE FRENCH.

Long White French.

[Illustration: White French.]

The roots of this variety are produced entirely within the earth. They

are invariably fusiform; and, if well grown, measure four or five inches

in diameter, and from eight to ten inches in length. Foliage not

abundant, spreading; skin white; flesh white, solid, mild, sweet, and

delicate. It is not so productive as some other varieties, and is

therefore not so well adapted to field culture; but for table use it is

surpassed by few, if any, of its class.

A rough-leaved, fusiform-rooted variety of the common garden-turnip: is

known by the name of "White French" in many localities; but, according

to the most reliable authority, that name has not only long been used in

connection with, but properly belongs to, the white turnip above

described.

* * * * *

SALSIFY, OR OYSTER-PLANT.

Leek-leaved Salsify. Vegetable Oyster. Purple Goat's Beard. Tragopogon

porrifolius.

The Salsify is a hardy biennial plant, and is principally cultivated for

its roots, the flavor of which resembles that of the oyster; whence the

popular name.

The leaves are long and grass-like, or leek-like; the roots are long and

tapering, white within and without, and, when grown in good soil,

measure twelve or fourteen inches in length, and rather more than an

inch in diameter at the crown.

_Soil and Cultivation._--The Oyster-plant succeeds best in a light,

well-enriched, mellow soil; which, previous to sowing the seeds, should

be stirred to the depth of twelve or fifteen inches. The seeds should be

sown annually, in the same manner and at the same time as the seeds of

the carrot and parsnip. Make the drills fourteen inches apart; cover the

seeds an inch and a half in depth; and thin, while the plants are young,

to four or five inches asunder.

Early sowings succeed best; as the seeds, which are generally more or

less imperfect, vegetate much better when the earth is moist than when

dry and parched, as it is liable to become when the season is more

advanced. Cultivate in the usual manner during the summer; and, by the

last of September or beginning of October, the roots will have attained

their full growth, and be ready for use. The plants will sustain no

injury during the winter, though left entirely unprotected in the open

ground; and the table may be supplied directly from the garden, whenever

the frost will admit of their removal. A portion of the crop should,

however, be taken up in autumn, and stored in the cellar, like other

roots; or, which is perhaps preferable, packed in earth or sand. Roots

remaining in the ground may be drawn for use till April, or until the

plants have begun to send up their stalks for flowering.

_Seeds,--production and quantity._--For the production of seeds, allow a

few plants to remain during the winter in the open ground where they

were sown. They will blossom in June and July. When fully developed, the

stem is about three feet in height, cylindrical, and branching. The

flowers are large, of a very rich violet-purple, and expand only by day

and in comparatively sunny weather. As the flowers are put forth in

gradual succession, so the heads of seeds are ripened at intervals, and

should be cut as they assume a brownish color.

The seeds are brownish,--lighter or darker as they are less or more

perfectly matured,--long and slender, furrowed and rough on the sides,

tapering to a long, smooth point at the top, often somewhat bent or

curved, and measure about five-eighths of an inch in length. They will

keep four years.

An ounce contains three thousand two hundred seeds, and will sow a row

eighty feet in length. Some cultivators put this amount of seed into a

drill of sixty feet; but if the seed is of average quality, and the

season ordinarily favorable, one ounce of seed will produce an abundance

of plants for eighty or a hundred feet.

_Use._--The roots are prepared in various forms; but, when simply boiled

in the manner of beets and carrots, the flavor is sweet and delicate.

The young flower-stalks, if cut in the spring of the second year and

dressed like asparagus, resemble it in taste, and make an excellent

dish.

The roots are sometimes thinly sliced, and, with the addition of

vinegar, salt, and pepper, served as a salad. They are also recommended

as being remedial or alleviating in cases of consumptive tendency.

There is but one species or variety now cultivated.

* * * * *

SCOLYMUS.

Spanish Scolymus. Spanish Oyster-plant. Scolymus Hispanicus.

In its natural state, this is a perennial plant; but, when cultivated,

it is generally treated as an annual or as a biennial. The roots are

nearly white, fleshy, long, and tapering in their general form, and, if

well grown, measure twelve or fifteen inches in length, and an inch in

diameter at the crown. When cut or bruised, or where the fibrous roots

are broken or rubbed off, there exudes a thick, somewhat viscous fluid,

nearly flavorless, and of a milk-white color. The leaf is large, often

measuring a foot or more in length, and three inches in diameter,

somewhat variegated with green and white, deeply lobed; the lobes or

divisions toothed, and the teeth terminating in sharp spines, in the

manner of the leaves of many species of thistles. When in flower, the

plant is about three feet in height. The flowers, which are put forth

singly, are of an orange-yellow, and measure an inch and a half in

diameter. The seeds are flat, and very thin, membranous on the borders,

of a yellowish color, and retain their vitality three years. An ounce

contains nearly four thousand seeds.

_Soil and Cultivation._--Any good garden loam is adapted to the growth

of the Scolymus. It should be well and deeply stirred as for other

deep-growing root crops. The seeds should be sown from the middle of

April to the 10th of May, in drills an inch deep, and fourteen inches

asunder. Thin the young plants to five inches distant in the rows; and,

during the summer, treat the growing crop as parsnips or carrots.

_Use._--It is cultivated exclusively for its roots, which are usually

taken up in September or October, and served at table, and preserved

during the winter, in the same manner as the Salsify, or Oyster-plant.

They have a pleasant, delicate flavor; and are considered to be not only

healthful, but remarkably nutritious.

* * * * *

SCORZONERA.

Black Oyster-plant. Black Salsify. Scorzonera Hispanica.

This is a hardy perennial plant, introduced from the south of Europe,

where it is indigenous. The root is tapering, and comparatively

slender,--when well developed, measuring about a foot in length, and an

inch in diameter near the crown, or at the broadest part; skin

grayish-black, coarse, somewhat reticulated, resembling the roots of

some species of trees; flesh white; leaves long, ovate, broadest near

the end, and tapering sharply to the stem. They are also more or less

distinctly ribbed, and have a few remote teeth, or serratures, at the

extremities. When in flower, the plant measures about four feet in

height; the stalk being nearly cylindrical, slightly grooved or

furrowed, smooth, and branched towards the top. The flowers are large,

terminal, yellow; the seeds are whitish, longer than broad, taper

towards the top, and retain their vitality two years. An ounce contains

about two thousand five hundred seeds.

_Soil and Culture._--Though a perennial, it is generally cultivated as

an annual or biennial, in the manner of the carrot or parsnip. Thompson

says, "It succeeds best in a light, deep, free soil and an open

situation. It is raised from seed, which may be sown in drills one foot

apart, covering with soil to the depth of half an inch. As it is apt to

run to seed the same year in which it is sown, and consequently to

become tough and woody," the planting should not be made too early,

particularly in the warmer sections of the country. A second sowing may

be made about four weeks from the first, "as a precautionary measure, in

case the plants of the first sowing should run. The young plants, when

three or four inches high, should be thinned out to eight inches asunder

in the rows. Towards the middle or last of September, the roots will

have attained sufficient size to be drawn for immediate use: others will

come in for use in October and November. In the latter month, they will

be in perfection; and, before the closing-up of the ground, a quantity

may be taken up, and stored in sand for the winter. When the ground is

open, the roots may be drawn from time to time, as required for

immediate use. About the middle of April, the roots remaining in the

ground will begin to run to flower; after which they soon become hard,

woody, and unfit for the table. Before this takes place, however, they

may be taken up, and stored in sand, where they may be kept for use till

May or June."

_To raise Seed._--Allow a few well-grown plants to remain in the ground

during winter; or select a few good-sized roots from those harvested in

autumn, and reset them in April, about eighteen inches apart, covering

them to the crowns. The seed will ripen at the close of the summer or

early in autumn. Seed saved from plants of the growth of two seasons is

considered best; that produced from yearling plants being greatly

inferior.

_Use._--It is cultivated exclusively for its roots; no other portion of

the plant being employed in domestic economy. The flesh of these is

white, tender, sugary, and well flavored. They are boiled in the manner

of the parsnip, and served plain at the table; or they may be cooked in

all the forms of salsify or scolymus. Before cooking, the outer, coarse

rind should be scraped off, and the roots soaked for a few hours in cold

water for the purpose of extracting their bitter flavor.

* * * * *

SKIRRET.

Crummock, of the Scotch. Sium sisarum.

Skirret is a hardy perennial, and is cultivated for its roots, which are

produced in groups, or bunches, joined together at the crown or neck of

the plant. They are oblong, fleshy, of a russet-brown color without,

white within, very sugary, and, when well grown, measure six or eight

inches in length, and nearly an inch in diameter.

The leaves of the first year are pinnate, with seven or nine oblong,

finely toothed leaflets. When fully developed, the plant measures from

three to five feet in height; the stem being marked with fine, parallel,

longitudinal grooves, or lines. The flowers are small, white, and are

produced in umbels at the extremities of the branches. The seeds, eight

thousand of which are contained in an ounce, are oblong, of a

greenish-gray color, and closely resemble those of the common caraway.

They will keep but two years; and, even when newly grown, sometimes

remain in the ground four or five weeks before vegetating.

_Soil and Culture._--Skirret succeeds best in light, mellow soil, and is

propagated by suckers, or seeds. The best method is to sow the seeds

annually, as, when grown from slips, or suckers, the roots are liable to

be dry and woody; the seeds, on the contrary, producing roots more

tender, and in greater perfection.

Sow the seeds in April, in drills one foot apart, and about an inch in

depth; thin to five or six inches; and, in September, some of the roots

will be sufficiently grown for use. Those required for winter should be

drawn before the closing-up of the ground, and packed in sand.

_To propagate by Slips, or Suckers._--In the spring, remove the required

number of young shoots, or sprouts, from the side of the roots that have

remained in the ground during winter, not taking any portion of the old

root in connection with the slips; and set them in rows ten inches

asunder, and six inches apart in the rows. They will soon strike, and

produce roots of suitable size for use in August or September.

_To raise Seeds._--The plants that have remained in the ground during

the winter, if not disturbed, will send up stalks as before described,

and ripen their seeds at the close of the summer. Two or three plants

will yield all the seeds ordinarily required for a single garden.

_Use._--The roots were formerly much esteemed, but are now neglected for

those greatly inferior. When cooked and served as salsify or scorzonera,

they are the whitest and sweetest of esculent roots, and afford a

considerable portion of nourishment.

There are no varieties.

* * * * *

SWEET POTATO.

Spanish Potato. Carolina Potato. Convolvulus batatus. Ipomoea batatas.

The Sweet Potato is indigenous to both the East and West Indies. Where

its growth is natural, the plant is perennial; but, in cultivation, it

is always treated as an annual. The stem is running or climbing, round

and slender; the leaves are heart-shaped and smooth, with irregular,

angular lobes; the flowers, which are produced in small groups of three

or four, are large, bell-shaped, and of a violet or purple color; the

seeds are black, triangular, and retain their vitality two or three

years,--twenty-three hundred are contained in an ounce.

The plants rarely blossom in the Northern or Middle States, and the

perfect ripening of the seeds is of still more rare occurrence. The

latter are, however, never employed in ordinary culture; and are sown

only for the production of new varieties, as is sometimes practised with

the common potato.

_Soil, Planting, and Cultivation._--In warm climates, the Sweet Potato

is cultivated in much the same manner as the common potato is treated at

the North. It succeeds best in light, warm, mellow soil, which should be

deeply stirred and well enriched. The slips, or sprouts, may be set on

ridges four feet apart, and fifteen inches from plant to plant; or in

hills four or five feet apart in each direction, three plants being

allowed to a hill. During the summer, give the vines ordinary culture;

and late in September, or early in October, the tubers will have

attained their growth, and be ready for harvesting. The slips, or

sprouts, are generally obtained by setting the tubers in a hot-bed in

March or April, and breaking off or separating the sprouts from the

tubers as fast as they reach four or five inches in height or attain a

suitable size for transplanting. In favorable seasons, the plucking may

be repeated three or four times. In setting out the slips, the lower

part should be sunk from one-third to one-half the entire length; and,

if very dry weather occurs, water should be moderately applied.

_Keeping._--The essentials for the preservation of Sweet Potatoes are

dryness and a warm and even temperature. Where these conditions are not

supplied, the tubers speedily decay. By packing in dry sand, and storing

in a warm, dry room, they are sometimes preserved in the Northern States

until the time of starting the plants in spring.

_Varieties._--Though numerous other varieties, less marked and

distinctive, are described by different authors, and are catalogued by

gardeners and seedsmen, the principal are as follow:--

KENTUCKY EARLY RED. _Murray._

Red Nansemond.

Tubers red, or purplish-red, of medium size; flesh yellow, dry, sweet,

and of good quality. A very prolific, hardy variety; recommended as the

best red Sweet Potato for Northern culture.

LARGE WHITE.

Patate-blanche of the French.

Tubers from six to ten inches in length,--thickest at the middle, where

they measure from two to nearly three inches in diameter; weight from

six ounces to a pound and upwards; skin dusky white; flesh nearly white,

but with a shade of yellow. Not so fine-grained or so sweet as the

Yellow or Purple, but quite farinaceous and well flavored.

It requires a long season in order to its full development; but, being

remarkably hardy, it will succeed well in any of the Middle States, and

attain a fair size in the warmer sections of New England.

NANSEMOND.

Yellow Nansemond.

A variety said to have originated in Nansemond County, Va.; whence the

name. Tubers large, yellow, swollen at the middle, and tapering to the

ends; flesh yellow, dry, unctuous, sweet, and well flavored.

It is early fit for the table; matures in short seasons; is very

productive; succeeds well in almost any tillable soil; and, having been

long acclimated, is one of the best sorts for cultivation at the

North,--very good crops having been obtained in Maine and the Canadas.

PURPLE-SKINNED.

New-Orleans Purple. Patate violette. _Vil._

Tubers swollen at the middle, and tapering in each direction to a

point,--measuring, when well grown, from seven to nine inches in length,

and from two to three inches in diameter; skin smooth, reddish-purple;

flesh fine-grained, sugary, and of excellent quality. The plants attain

a remarkable length, and the tubers are rarely united about the neck as

in most other varieties.

The Purple-skinned is early and productive, but keeps badly. It would

probably succeed much better in cool climates than either the White or

the Yellow. It is much grown in the vicinity of Paris.

RED-SKINNED, OR AMERICAN RED.

Tubers fusiform, long, and comparatively slender,--the length often

exceeding twelve inches, and the diameter rarely above two inches;

weight from three to ten ounces; skin purplish-red, smooth and shining;

flesh yellow, very fine-grained, unctuous, sugary, and farinaceous;

plant long and slender.

This variety is early, quite hardy, very productive, and excellent, but

does not keep so well as the yellow or white sorts. It is well adapted

for cultivation in the cooler sections of the United States; where, in

favorable seasons, the crop has proved as certain, and the yield nearly

as abundant, as that of the common potato.

ROSE-COLORED. _Vil._

Tubers somewhat ovoid, or egg-shaped, often grooved, or furrowed, and of

extraordinary size. Well-grown specimens will measure eight or nine

inches in length, and four inches or more in diameter; frequently

weighing two and a half, and sometimes greatly exceeding three pounds.

Skin rose-colored, shaded or variegated with yellow; flesh sweet, of a

pleasant, nut-like flavor, but less soft or unctuous than that of the

other varieties.

It is hardy, remarkably productive, and, its excellent keeping

properties considered, one of the best sorts for cultivation.

YELLOW-SKINNED.

Yellow Carolina.

Tubers from six to ten inches in length, thickest at the middle, where

they measure from two to three inches in diameter, and pointed at the

extremities; weight varying from four to twelve ounces and upwards; skin

smooth, yellow; flesh yellow, fine-grained, unctuous, and remarkably

sugary,--surpassing, in this last respect, nearly all other varieties.

Not so early as the Red-skinned or the Purple.

When grown in the Southern States, it yields well; perfectly matures its

crop; and, in color and flavor, the tubers will accord with the

description above given. When grown in the Middle States, or in the

warmer parts of New England, it decreases in size; the tubers become

longer and more slender; the color, externally and internally, becomes

much paler, or nearly white; and the flesh, to a great extent, loses

the fine, dry, and sugary qualities which it possesses when grown in

warm climates.

* * * * *

TUBEROUS-ROOTED CHICKLING VETCH.

Tuberous-rooted Pea. Eatable-rooted Pea. Lathyrus tuberosus.

Perennial; stem about six feet high,--climbing, slender, four-sided,

smooth, and of a clear green color; flowers rather large, in bunches, of

a fine carmine rose-color, and somewhat fragrant; pod smooth; seeds

rather large, oblong, a little angular, of a brown color, spotted with

black; root spreading, furnished with numerous blackish, irregularly

shaped tubers, which are generally from an ounce to three ounces in

weight.

The roots are very farinaceous, and, when cooked, are highly esteemed.

In taste, they somewhat resemble roasted chestnuts. Where the roots are

uninjured by the winter, the plant increases rapidly, and is liable to

become a troublesome inmate of the garden.

* * * * *

TUBEROUS-ROOTED TROPÆOLUM. _Thomp._

Ysano. Tropæolum tuberosum.

This is a perennial plant from Peru, and deserves mention as a recently

introduced esculent. It produces an abundance of handsome yellow and red

tubers, about the size of small pears; the taste of which is not,

however, very agreeable. On this account, a particular mode of treatment

has been adopted in Bolivia, where, according to M. Decaisne, they are

treated in the following manner:--

The tubers designated "Ysano," at La Paz, require to be prepared before

they are edible. Indeed, when prepared like potatoes, and immediately

after being taken up, their taste is very disagreeable. But a mode of

making them palatable was discovered in Bolivia; and the Ysano has there

become, if not a common vegetable, at least one which is quite edible.

The means of making them so consists in freezing them after they have

been cooked, and they are eaten when frozen. In this state it is said

that they constitute an agreeable dish, and that scarcely a day passes

at La Paz without two lines of dealers being engaged in selling the

Ysano, which they protect from the action of the sun by enveloping it in

a woollen cloth, and straw. Large quantities are eaten sopped in

treacle, and taken as refreshment during the heat of the day.

_Propagation and Culture._--The plant may be propagated by pieces of the

tubers, in the same manner as potatoes; an eye being preserved on each

piece. The sets should be planted in April or May, according to the

season, about four feet apart, in light, rich soil. The stems may be

allowed to trail along the ground, or pea-sticks may be placed for their

support. In dry soils and seasons, the former method should be adopted;

in those which are moist, the latter. The tubers are taken up in

October, when the leaves begin to decay, and stored in sand.

* * * * *

THE TURNIP.

English Turnip. Brassica rapa.

The common Turnip is a hardy, biennial plant, indigenous to Great

Britain, France, and other parts of Europe. The roots of all the

varieties attain their full size during the first year. The radical

leaves are hairy and rough, and are usually lobed, or lyrate; but, in

some of the sorts, nearly spatulate, with the borders almost entire.

The flowers are produced in May and June of the second year, and the

seeds ripen in July; the flower-stalk rises three feet or more in

height, with numerous branches; the leaves are clasping, and much

smoother and more glaucous than the radical leaves of the growth of the

previous year; the flowers are yellow, and are produced in long, loose,

upright, terminal spikes; the seeds are small, round, black, or

reddish-brown, and are very similar, in size, form, and color, in the

different varieties,--ten thousand are contained in an ounce, and they

retain their vitality from five to seven years.

_Propagation and Culture._--All the sorts are propagated by seeds; which

should be sown where the plants are to remain, as they do not generally

succeed well when transplanted. Sowings for early use may be made the

last of April, or beginning of May; but as the bulbs are seldom produced

in perfection in the early part of the season, or under the influence of

extreme heat, the sowing should be confined to a limited space in the

garden. The seeds may be sown broadcast or in drills: if sown in drills,

they should be made about fourteen inches apart, and half an inch in

depth. The young plants should be thinned to five or six inches asunder.

For a succession, a few seeds may be sown, at intervals of a fortnight,

until the last week in July; from which time, until the 10th of August,

the principal sowing is usually made for the winter's supply. In the

Middle States, and the warmer portion of New England, if the season is

favorable, a good crop will be obtained from seed sown as late as the

last week in August.

_Harvesting._--Turnips for the table may be drawn directly from the

garden or field until November, but must be harvested before severe

freezing weather; for, though comparatively very hardy, few of the

varieties will survive the winters of the Northern States in the open

ground.

_Seed._--As the various kinds readily hybridize, or intermix, only one

variety should be cultivated in the same neighborhood for seed. Select

the best-formed bulbs, and transplant them out in April, in rows two

feet apart, and one foot apart in the rows, just covering the crowns

with earth, or leaving the young shoots level with the surface of the

ground.

An ounce of seed will sow eight rods of land, and a pound will be

sufficient for an acre.

_Varieties._--The varieties are numerous, as follow:--

ALTRINCHAM. _Law._

Yellow Altrincham. Altringham.

This is a yellow-fleshed, field variety, of rather less than average

size. The bulb, however, is of a fine, globular shape, with a

light-green top, very small neck and tap-root, and possessed of

considerable solidity.

BORDER IMPERIAL.

Border Imperial Purple-top Yellow.

Bulb five or six inches in diameter, nearly spherical, sometimes

flattened, and usually very smooth and symmetrical; skin yellow, the

upper surface of a bright purple; flesh yellow, firm, and sugary; leaves

large.

The variety is of English origin, and is recommended for its earliness

and great productiveness.

CHIVAS'S ORANGE JELLY. _Thomp._

Bulb of a handsome, round form, with a small top; the skin is pale

orange; and the flesh yellow, juicy, sweet, and tender. It has very

little fibre; so that, when boiled, it almost acquires the consistence

of a jelly. It originated in Cheshire, Eng.

COW-HORN.

Long Early White Vertus. _Vil._

[Illustration: Cow-horn Turnip.]

Root produced much above ground, nearly cylindrical, rounded at the end,

ten or twelve inches in length, nearly three inches in diameter, and

weighing from one and a half to two pounds. The skin is smooth and

shining,--white below the surface of the ground, and green at the top;

the flesh is white, tender, and sugary. Early, very productive, and

remarkable for its regular form and good quality. As a field-turnip, it

is one of the best; and, when pulled young, good for table use. During

winter, the roots often become dry and spongy.

DALES'S HYBRID. _Law._

This variety is of English origin, and is said to be a hybrid from the

Green-top Swede and the common White Globe. Its prevailing traits are,

however, those of the White Globe; inasmuch as its roots are similar in

form and texture.

Foliage strong and luxuriant; root large, oblong, pale yellow; the upper

surface light green; neck and tap-root small. The form of the bulb,

though generally oblong, is sometimes nearly globular; but its more

material characteristics, large size, and luxuriance of growth, are

uniformly the same. Its reputation as a turnip of very superior quality

has not been sustained in this country.

EARLY FLAT DUTCH.

Early White Dutch. White Dutch.

An old and well-known early garden variety; bulb round, very much

flattened, and produced mostly within the earth; skin white, somewhat

washed with green at the insertion of the leaves, which are of medium

size. Before the bulb has attained its full dimensions, the flesh is

fine-grained, tender, and sweet; but when ripe, especially in dry

seasons, it often becomes spongy and juiceless: in which condition, it

is of no value for the table; and, even for stock, is comparatively

worthless. Average specimens measure about four inches in diameter, and

two inches and a half in depth.

EARLY YELLOW DUTCH.

Yellow Dutch.

This variety has a small, globular root, of a pale-yellow color

throughout. It somewhat resembles the Yellow Malta, and is a good garden

variety. The portion of the bulb above ground, and exposed to the sun,

is washed with green. It is of medium size, early, tender, rather

close-grained, and sugary; better suited for use in summer and autumn

than for winter. By some, the variety is esteemed the best of the yellow

garden turnips.

FINLAND. _Law._

Yellow Finland.

[Illustration: Finland Turnip.]

This is a beautiful, medium-sized turnip, of a bright yellow throughout,

even to the neck; somewhat similar to a firm Yellow Malta, but of finer

color. The under part of the bulb is singularly depressed: from this

depression issues a small, mousetail-like root. It is somewhat

earlier, and also hardier, than the Yellow Malta.

The flesh is tender, close-grained, and of a sweet, sugary flavor; the

leaves are small, and few in number; bulb about two inches in thickness

by four inches in diameter, weighing eight or ten ounces. An excellent

garden variety.

FRENEUSE.

Root produced within the earth,--long, tapering, and rather symmetrical;

size small,--average specimens measuring five or six inches in length,

an inch and a half in diameter at the crown, and weighing eight or ten

ounces; skin white, or yellowish-white; flesh white, dry, very firm, and

sugary; leaves small, deep green, spreading. Half early, and one of the

best of the dry-fleshed varieties.

GOLDEN BALL. _M'Int._ _Vil._

Yellow Globe.

[Illustration: Golden Ball.]

Bulb produced mostly within the earth, nearly globular, and very smooth

and symmetrical; skin bright yellow below ground, greenish above; leaves

comparatively small, spreading; flesh pale yellow, sweet, and well

flavored, but not so fine-grained as that of many other varieties. It is

a good table turnip; and with the Robertson's Golden Stone, which it

greatly resembles, the most valuable for cultivation, where large-sized

garden turnips are required. Its size is about that of the last named.

Average specimens measure four inches in diameter, nearly the same in

depth, and weigh from twelve to fourteen ounces.

GREEN GLOBE. _Law._

Green-top White Globe.

Roots of a fine, globular shape, with a small neck and tap-root; very

white below, and green above, the surface of the ground; of medium size,

hardy, and firm in texture, but scarcely so much so as the Green Round;

than which it arrives at maturity rather earlier. It is somewhat larger

than the White Norfolk; has large, deep-green foliage; grows strongly;

and produces extraordinary crops: but it soon becomes spongy, and often

decays in autumn or early in winter.

A sub-variety, of larger size and with softer flesh, is known by the

name of Hungarian Green-top Globe.

GREEN NORFOLK. _Law._

Green-top Norfolk. Green Round.

A sub-variety of the White Norfolk, of nearly the same form and size;

the bulb differing principally in the color of the top, which is green.

The Norfolk turnips are all of a peculiar flattish form; rather hollowed

towards their neck, as also on their under side. When grown to a large

size, they become more or less irregular, or somewhat angular. The

Green-top variety possesses these characters in a less degree than the

White-top; and is generally round, flattened, but not much hollowed, on

the upper or under surface. It is hardier than the White or Red

varieties.

GREEN TANKARD. _Law._

Roots more than half above ground; oblong, or tankard-shaped; of a

greenish color, except on the under surface, which is white; flesh white

and sweet, but of coarse texture.

The term "Tankard" is applied to such common field turnips as are of an

oblong shape, and the roots of which, in general, grow much above the

surface of the ground. Such oblong varieties, however, as approach

nearest to a round or globular form, are sometimes termed "Decanter," or

"Decanter-shaped turnips."

In good soils, the Green Tankard sometimes attains a weight of eight or

ten pounds. As a garden variety, it is of little value.

GREEN-TOP FLAT.

Similar in size, form, and quality to the common Purple-top Flat; skin,

above ground, green.

Long grown in New England for feeding stock; and, in its young state,

often used as a table turnip. Now very little cultivated.

GREEN-TOP YELLOW ABERDEEN. _Law._

Green-top Yellow Bullock.

An old and esteemed variety, similar in size and form to the Purple-top

Yellow Aberdeen: the color of the top is bright green.

LINCOLNSHIRE RED GLOBE.

This variety is remarkable for its large, deep-green, luxuriant foliage.

Bulb very large, roundish; skin, below ground, white,--above the

surface, purple; flesh white, firm, and, when young, well flavored, and

adapted to table use. It yields abundantly; is uniformly fair, and free

from small roots; an average keeper; and deserving of cultivation,

especially for agricultural purposes.

LONG BLACK.

Except in the form of its roots, this variety much resembles the Round

Black. It possesses the same peculiar, piquant, radish-like flavor; and

is served at table in the same manner.

LONG WHITE MALTESE.

Long White Clairfontaine. _Vil._

Roots eight or nine inches in length, an inch and a half in diameter,

somewhat fusiform, and very smooth and symmetrical. The crown rises two

or three inches above the surface of the ground, and is of a green

color, except where exposed to the sun, when it often becomes purple or

reddish-brown. Below the surface of the soil, the skin is of a dull or

dirty white. Flesh white, moderately fine, tender, and of a sugary

flavor. Half early.

The variety has some resemblance to the Cow-horn; but is smaller, and

the flesh not so white.

PETROSOWOODSKS.

Bulb of medium size, flattened,--comparatively smooth and regular;

tap-root very slender, issuing from a basin; skin blackish-purple above

and below ground, sometimes changing to yellow about the tap-root of

large or overgrown bulbs; flesh yellow, fine-grained, and tender, if

grown in cool weather, but liable to be fibrous and strong-flavored when

grown during the summer months. The variety is early, and must be

classed as a garden rather than as a field turnip.

POMERANIAN GLOBE.

Bulb globular, remarkably smooth and regular; the neck is small, and the

skin white, smooth, and glossy; the flesh is white, close-grained,

tender, and sweet; the leaves are large, and of a dark-green color, with

paler or whitish nerves. Half early.

When in perfection, the bulbs measure three and a half or four inches in

diameter, about the same in depth, and weigh from fourteen to eighteen

ounces. If sown early in good soil, and allowed the full season for

development, the roots sometimes attain a weight of eight or ten pounds.

It is generally cultivated as a field turnip, but is also sown as a

garden variety; the roots being of good quality for the table, if pulled

when about half grown.

PRESTON, OR LIVERPOOL YELLOW. _Law._

An early sort, somewhat resembling the Yellow Malta: the bulbs attain a

larger size, the foliage is stronger, and the basin, or depression,

about the tap-root less deeply sunk.

PURPLE-TOP FLAT.

Red-top Flat.

Bulb round, flattened, nearly one-half growing above ground; neck and

tap-root small; skin reddish-purple where exposed to light and air, and

white below the surface of the soil; flesh very white, close-grained

while young, and of a sugary but often bitter taste. During winter, it

usually becomes dry and spongy. Average specimens measure two and a half

inches in depth, four or five inches in diameter, and weigh from sixteen

to twenty ounces.

This old and well-known variety, at one period, was the principal field

as well as garden turnip of the Northern and Middle States. It is now,

however, very little cultivated; being superseded by the Strap-leaved

and other more desirable sorts.

PURPLE-TOP STRAP-LEAVED.

[Illustration: Purple-top Strap-leaved Turnip.]

Bulb very flat, smooth, and regular in form, produced almost entirely

above ground; tap-root slender; leaves few, upright, broad, rounded at

the ends, and tapering to the neck, which is very small; skin above,

clear, bright purple,--below, pure white, often finely clouded or shaded

at the union of the colors; flesh clear white, firm, solid, sugary,

mild, and remarkably well-flavored; size medium,--measuring about two

inches and a half in depth by four or five inches in diameter, and

weighing from ten to twelve ounces. Field-grown roots, with the benefit

of a long season and rich soil, attain much greater dimensions; often,

however, greatly deteriorating in quality as they increase over the

average size.

This variety is unquestionably one of the best of the flat turnips,

either for the garden or field. It is early, hardy, very prolific, will

thrive in almost any description of soil, is of excellent quality, and

rarely fails to yield a good crop. It is the best of all the flat

turnips for sowing among corn or potatoes, or upon small patches of the

garden from which early pease or beans have been harvested.

PURPLE-TOP YELLOW ABERDEEN.

Purple-top Aberdeen. Purple-top Yellow Bullock.

Bulb globular, reddish-purple above, and deep yellow below; tap-root

very small; leaves deep green, comparatively short, and inclined to grow

horizontally.

In rich soil and long seasons, the bulbs sometimes attain a weight of

eight or ten pounds; but specimens of average size measure about four

inches in depth, nearly five inches in diameter, and weigh from sixteen

to twenty ounces. The flesh is pale yellow, tender, sugary, and nearly

equal to that of the Swedes in solidity. The variety is very hardy, and,

although generally grown for farm purposes, is really superior to many

sorts cultivated exclusively for table use.

RED GLOBE. _Law._

An old, medium-sized, globular turnip, well suited for cultivation in

light soil and on exposed or elevated situations. Skin red, where

exposed to the sun,--below ground, white; flesh white, and finer in

texture than that of the White Globe. It is not suited for table use;

and is generally field-grown, and fed to stock.

RED NORFOLK.

Red-top Norfolk. Red Round.

This is a sub-variety of the White Norfolk, the size and form being

nearly the same. Skin washed, or clouded with red where exposed to the

light. It is firmer in texture, and more regular in its form, than the

last named; and, if there be any difference in size, this is the smaller

variety.

RED TANKARD.

Bulb produced partially above ground, pyriform, eight or nine inches in

depth, four or five inches in diameter, and weighing about three pounds;

below ground, the skin is white,--above, purple or violet; flesh white,

rather firm, sugary, and well flavored; foliage large.

It is recommended for its earliness and productiveness, but must be

considered a field rather than a table variety.

ROBERTSON'S GOLDEN STONE. _M'Int._ _Vil._

An excellent, half-early variety; form nearly globular; color deep

orange throughout, sometimes tinged with green on the top; size above

medium,--average specimens measuring nearly four inches in depth, four

inches in diameter, and weighing from sixteen to eighteen ounces; flesh

firm, and well flavored.

The Robertson's Golden Stone is remarkably hardy, keeps well, and is one

of the best of the Yellows for autumn or winter use.

ROUND BLACK. _Law._

Leaves few, small, and comparatively smooth; bulb produced almost or

altogether under ground, of an irregular, roundish form, often divided,

or terminating in thick branches at its lower extremity; skin black, and

very tough; flesh white.

The variety is extensively cultivated in some parts of Europe, and is

much esteemed for its peculiar, piquant, somewhat radish-like flavor. It

is sometimes served in its crude state as a salad.

SIX WEEKS. _Law._

Autumn Stubble. Early Dwarf.

Bulb produced much above ground, rather large, and of an irregular,

globular form. It soon arrives at maturity; but, on account of its

natural softness of texture, should always be sown late, and used before

severe frosts. As descriptive of its earliness, it has received the

above names; being suited for very late sowing, after the removal of

early crops; or for making up blanks in turnip-fields, where the first

sowing may have partially failed.

It is well flavored, but soon becomes dry and spongy, and is unsuitable

for use during winter. Skin white below the surface of the ground,

greenish above. Field-grown specimens sometimes weigh three pounds and

upwards.

SMALL LONG YELLOW.

Leaves very small, and spreading; root generally entirely under ground,

small, and of an oblong or carrot shape, terminating abruptly at the

point; skin pale yellow; flesh yellow, firm, dry, and sugary, with some

degree of piquancy. It is a good variety for the table, and also a good

keeper.

SNOW-BALL.

Navet Boule de Neige. _Vil._

The bulb of this variety is nearly spherical, very smooth and regular;

size medium,--the average dimensions being four inches in diameter, four

and a half in depth, and the weight about a pound. The neck is small,

and the skin white. The flesh of the young bulbs is white, fine-grained,

tender, and sugary; but, if overgrown or long kept, it is liable to

become dry and spongy.

The variety is early, and, though classed by seedsmen as a garden

turnip, is well adapted for field culture; as it not only yields

abundantly, but succeeds well when sown late in the season on land from

which early crops have been harvested.

STONE GLOBE.

Bulb globular, and regularly formed, growing mostly beneath the surface

of the ground. It belongs to the White-globe varieties, and is

considered the hardiest and the best suited for winter use of any of its

class. The leaves are larger, stronger, and deeper colored, than any of

the White-globe sorts.

Skin and flesh white; texture moderately close; flavor sweet, and its

keeping properties good; size rather large.

TELTOW, OR SMALL BERLIN.

Teltau.

This is said to be the smallest of turnips; its leaves not exceeding in

number those of the radish. The root is fusiform or spindle-shaped, not

very regular, and produced entirely under ground; skin dusky white;

flesh dry, dull white, very fine-grained, piquant, and sugary; leaves

erect, yellowish-green. Early. The roots measure three inches long by

about an inch and three-fourths at their largest diameter, and weigh

from three to four ounces.

The Teltow Turnip is much esteemed on account of its excellent

qualities, and is one of the best early garden varieties.

According to Loudon, it is in high repute in France, Germany, and

Holland; and is grown in the sandy fields around Berlin, and also near

Altona, whence it is imported to the London market. It is, or was, grown

in immense quantities in the neighborhood of Moscow.

The peculiar flavor is in the outer rind. When used, it should not be

peeled. It bears transplanting well; and may be set in rows one foot

apart, and nine inches apart in the rows.

WAITE'S HYBRID ECLIPSE.

A recent variety, of English origin, introduced by Mr. John G. Waite, a

seed-merchant of London. As figured and described, it is of large size,

very richly colored, and remarkably smooth and symmetrical. At the

crown, it is broad and round-shouldered, and measures about six inches

in diameter; which size is nearly retained to a depth of eight or nine

inches, when it contracts in a conical form to a tap-root. Color of

upper portion, clear purple, richly clouded, and contrasting finely with

the yellow on the lower part. It is represented as a turnip of excellent

quality, and as being very productive.

When cultivated in this country, it has generally fallen short of the

excellence it is represented as attaining in England. It is apparently

not adapted to the dry and warm summers of the United States.

WHITE GLOBE. _Law._

Common Field Globe.

Root globular; skin smooth, perfectly white; flesh also white; neck and

tap-root small. Although this description embraces the principal

characters of the White Globe, there is considerable variety in the

turnips to which this name is applied, arising from the degree of care

and attention bestowed by growers in selecting their seed-roots; and the

shape is often not a little affected by the soil in which they are

grown. Thus Globes of any kind, and particularly those of this variety,

when grown on a very superior, rich soil, may be said to be forced

beyond their natural size, and thereby acquire somewhat of a monstrous

or overgrown appearance; losing, in a great measure, their natural

symmetry.

This variety is better adapted to field culture than to the garden, as

it is altogether too coarse in texture for table use. It is a poor

keeper, and, in unfavorable seasons, sometimes decays before the time of

harvesting. Specimens have been grown weighing fifteen and even eighteen

pounds.

WHITE NORFOLK.

White Round.

A large English variety, somewhat irregular in form, but usually more or

less compressed, and sometimes pyriform; the upper portion of the root

being produced four or five inches above ground. Specimens sometimes

measure ten or twelve inches in diameter. The leaves are large, and

rather numerous; the skin white below the surface, and often white

above, but sometimes washed with green; flesh white and coarse-grained,

but sweet. Very late.

It is but a sub-variety of the Common Flat Turnip, and oftentimes

attains a most extraordinary size. For the garden, it possesses no

value. It is grown exclusively as an agricultural or field turnip; but

is very liable to rot; soon becomes spongy; and can only be classed as

third-rate, even for feeding stock.

WHITE STONE.

Early Stone. White Garden Stone.

This common and well-known garden turnip somewhat resembles the White

Dutch; but has stronger foliage, is rounder in form, and finer in

texture. A carefully selected and improved variety of this is known by

the name of Mouse-tail Turnip; and, in addition, some catalogues contain

varieties under the name of Red-topped Mouse-tail, &c.

Skin and flesh white; size full medium, measuring three and a half to

four inches in depth by four and a half or five inches in diameter.

WHITE TANKARD.

Navet Gras d'Alsace. _Vil._

Bulb pyriform, cylindrical at the crown, which, like that of the Red

Tankard, rises two or three inches from the ground; skin white in the

earth, green above; flesh white, tender, sweet, rather firm, and

close-grained. Early.

Vilmorin mentions two varieties; one having entire leaves, the other

with lyrate or lobed leaves; giving preference, however, to the one with

entire leaves.

Like most of the Tankards, the variety seems better adapted to

agricultural than to horticultural purposes.

WHITE-TOP FLAT.

Bulb similar in size and form to the Green-top Flat; leaves few and

small; skin uniformly white; flesh white, firm, sugary, and well

flavored. As a table variety, it is superior to the Purple-top Flat or

the Green-top.

WHITE-TOP STRAP-LEAVED.

This is a sub-variety of the Purple-top Strap-leaved; differing little,

except in color. The leaves are erect, few and small, somewhat

lanceolate, and nearly entire on the borders; the bulb is of medium

size, much flattened, green above ground, white below, and remarkably

smooth and regular in form; tap-root very small; the flesh is white,

very fine-grained, saccharine, mild, and excellent.

Early, productive, and recommended as one of the best varieties for

field or garden culture.

The Strap-leaved Turnips appear to be peculiarly adapted to the climate

of the Northern States, and are greatly superior in all respects to the

Common White and Purple-top Flat varieties. Though of comparatively

recent introduction, they have been widely disseminated; and, wherever

grown, are highly esteemed.

YELLOW MALTA. _M'Int._

Maltese. Golden Maltese.

A beautiful, very symmetrical, small-bulbed, early variety, slightly

flattened above, somewhat concave about, the tap-root, which, as well as

the neck, is remarkably small; skin very smooth, bright orange-yellow;

foliage small, and not abundant,--on which account the plants may be

grown quite close to each other; flesh pale-yellow, fine-grained, and

well flavored. It is a good garden variety, and one of the best of the

Yellows for summer use. Average bulbs measure two inches in depth, four

inches in diameter, and weigh about ten ounces.

YELLOW SCARISBRICK.

Bulb flattened, smooth, and regular; neck small; skin pale

yellow,--above ground, green; flesh yellowish-white, tender, and sweet;

leaves of medium size, very pale-green. Season late. Well-grown

specimens measure four inches in diameter, and about three inches in

depth.

YELLOW STONE.

Very similar to the Golden Ball or Yellow Globe. Compared with these

varieties, the bulb of the Yellow Stone is produced more above ground,

and the upper surface is more colored with green. One of the best of

garden turnips.

YELLOW TANKARD. _Vil._

Root somewhat fusiform, or of a long, irregular, tankard shape; the

crown rising just above the ground. Average specimens measure seven or

eight inches in length, three inches and a half in diameter, and weigh

about twenty-four ounces. Skin yellowish-white below ground, green

above; flesh pale yellow, firm, and sugary; leaves large. It is esteemed

for the solidity of its flesh, and for its earliness and productiveness.

A good variety for either field or garden.