The parsnip is grown usually on strong loans and even on clay soils. The details of culture are simi lar to those given for carrots [which see]. It is important, however, that the seed shall not be more than one year old and that it be sown near the surface.
Four to six pounds are re quired to seed an acre.
Since the roots are not injured by frost when left in the ground over winter, harvesting may be deferred until spring, if desired.
At the present time there are a few well-recognized varieties which are em braced in two main types : (1) the long type, which includes the Hollow Crown or Student variety and its strains ; (2) the short or round type, which is of comparatively recent in troduction. Both of these types are found wild.
Sugar-beet. Beta vulgaris, Linn. Chenopodiacece.
A mangel developed for the production of sugar, and a product of the past century. So far as cul ture and use as stock-food is concerned, it is similar to mangel. [See separate article on Sugar-beet.] Turnip. Brassica, sp. Cruciferce. Figs. 778, 784, 785.
Turnips are grown for their thickened roots, which are formed during the first year of growth and are used as food for stock. The name "turnip" is here used in its widest sense and embraces the common turnip (Brassica Rapa, var. depressa, DC.), the rutabaga, a Swedish turnip (Brassica Campestris, var. rutabaga, DC.), and the hybrid-turnip (Bras sica Rapa, var. hybrida, Fraser), all of which be long to the same family as the cabbage. Like the mange] they consist of a thickened hypocotyl and primary root, the relative proportions of which vary in different varieties and even in individuals of the same variety, being modified by variations in the plants themselves, the soil and the method of cultivation. As usually grown, they are regarded as biennial plants.
In this discussion it is proposed to treat all three types under the one heading because, although botanically somewhat different, their uses and the methods of culture are similar History.
According to De Candolle, the common turnip (Brassica Rapa) and the rutabaga (Brassiect Cam pestris, var. rutabaga) are native of temperate Europe. They were disseminated in Europe previous to, and in Asia after the Aryan invasion. Turnips were introduced from Spain to Mexico as early as 1586, and in 1610 Strachey reported that the Jamestown, Va., colony grew them as well or bet
ter than they were grown in England. Mason reported that they grew well in Newfoundland in 1617, and they were grown in New England as early as 1628. With the introduction of the Nor folk four-course rotation of turnips, barley, clover, wheat, into English agriculture in the middle of the eighteenth century, turnips began to be commonly grown for stock-feeding in England, although this practice had then been in vogue in parts of Europe for some time. Thus far Americans have not been much interested in these crops except to a small extent for garden purposes. A large number of the varieties grown are of European, chiefly British origin, and the question may be raised as to whether varieties selected and developed for American conditions might not be much more satisfactory and thereby encourage the greater development of these root crops.
Geographical distribution.
Turnips are grown most extensively in cool cli mates. They reach their highest development in northern Europe and the United Kingdom and do well in northern United States and Canada.
Composition of turnips.
The average percentage composition usually given is : In regard to the distribution of the dry matter in turnips, Wool and Berry, of Cambridge Uni vers'ty (England), report as follows : The bul ho [shown in Fig. 778] of green-top v bow turnips from the same field, were each weighed and then eut into horizontal slices. The top and bottom pieces, 1 and 2, were not further divided. The other slices were subdivided ; 3 rep resents a ring around the second slice and 4 the central part of the same slice. Similarly, 5 rep resents the outside ring of the third slice, 6 a ring inside that, and 7 the inside part of the slice. In this way each turnip was divided into twelve dif ferent sections from top to tail and from rind to core. Three other bulbs, representing two differ ent varieties, were divided similarly but in a sim pler manner. These gave results in general agree ment with what is shown in Fig. 778. In all these samples only the dry matter was determined. The results may he summarized as follows : "(1) The upper half of a turnip contains a higher percentage of dry matter than the lower half. This is in direct opposition to the common opinion that the under half is the richer.