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to the ravages of insects, which materially lessens the crop. A small black 

 &j, and in dry se.isons, plant lice, are often extremely annoying to the 

 culture of the turnip. It is not easy to find any crop that will not have 

 some items on both sides of the account, when fairly stated. On the 

 whole, it is believed that the culture of the turnip, in its several varieties, 

 is destined to be an essential part of New England husbandry ; and 

 where better understood, to be more admired. The labor and expense 

 of growing turnips is much less than other vegetables. Accurate esti- 

 mates, by Mr. Brewer, of Springfield, Mass., the last season, show the 

 costs of turnips, to be only one-third that of carrots, and carrots can be 

 grown quite as cheap as beets, taking several years together. 



The parsnip is a highly nutritious vegetable ; readily grown, and an 

 abundant producer. I have known square rods of this vegetable as pro- 

 ductive as any other. Why it is not more generally cultivated, I cannot 

 explain. Mr. Colman says he has looked in vain for it, among the Eng- 

 lish farmers, but understands it to be grown in abundance in some of the 

 islands adjacent to England. That it may be grown with good success, 

 in deep, rich soil, I cannot doubt; and that it is worthy the attention of 

 cultivators, I have great confidence. 



For productive value, as a farm crop, no vegetable within my know- 

 ledge can be compared with the Onion. This has been treated so fully, 

 in an essay published in 1845, that little can now be said respecting it. 

 Still, as what was then said, has to some seemed almost incredible, it may 

 be useful to re-affirm what is certainly known from long and continued 

 observation. The culture of the onion may be continued on the same 

 ground for an indefinite length of time, with proper attention to pulveri- 

 zation of the soil, and manuring. It is a mistaken idea to suppose 

 because the bulb of the onion grows on the surface, that the soil does 

 not need stirring beneath. Any one, who will take the trouble to exam- 

 ine, will find the tender fibres of the plant extending to the depth of twelve 

 inches, at least, where the ground has been properly prepared. It is one 

 of those crops, that in a peculiar manner, reward diligence and care in 

 its culture. The great secret of the success, in this culture, in the East- 

 ern part of Massachusetts — where five, six, seven, and even eight hun- 

 dred bushels to the acre are raised — is to be found almost entirely in the 

 care applied, and not in any peculiar quality of the soil. Any land that 

 will grow Indian corn, with proper management, will grow onions. In 

 many places, it is thought that onions cannot be grown on their soil, and 



