Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/136

 mixed with butter, cream, and other seasoning, for which purpose mid-sized Turnips are better than large ones, as the latter, being of a spongy nature, contain more water than those smaller. In the present day, during the great deficiency of the Potato crop, they form a partial substitute for that valuable root—especially in Europe, where some of the finer kinds of the Turnip have been found, by recent analysis, to give nearly as much nourishment. The young sprouts from the tops, in Spring, make excellent greens. There are only a few sorts suitable for garden culture.

Early White Dutch, or White Strap-leaved, is a very early kind, of a round, flat form; the leaves are short and narrow. This and the following variety will produce roots fit for the table in six weeks from sowing.

Early Red-top Dutch, or Strap-leaved Red-top, has every character of the former, except that the portion of the root which is fully exposed above ground is of a red or purple color. Early Yellow Dutch is a very beautifully formed variety, of the color indicated by its name. It is quite firm, sweet, round in form, and keeps well.

Of this class there are also the White and Yellow Stone, Yellow Malta, Snowball, and some others, all of which we think, in this climate, inferior to the three described. For Spring use, the following Swede or Rutabaga Turnips should be sown:

The Purple-topped Swede is of an oval, tapering form, and requires to be sown in July; flesh very fine, and keeps till Spring.

Improved Swede.—We are highly in favor of this variety of Turnip, either for the garden or field; it has a better formed root than the common sort; the leaves do not grow so strong; the flesh is of a fine yellow, and very pleasant flavor.