FAKMEKS' INSTITUTES. 141 



ing a second imtil it is matured. When tliey are large enough to know that 

 you are going to have a good stand, go tlirough and thin out, leaving them 

 about 16 or 18 inches apart. After this go through with your cultivator often 

 enough to keep the ground perfectly clean, and I will guarantee that you will 

 have a good crop of turnips. Last year we had two and a half acres, and by 

 measuring two rows we estimated the 3aeld to have been 2,058 bushels. 



AVhen I come to harvest my crop I cut the tops off with a hoe. I then put 

 them in long pits, and cover well with good, dry straw, then put on earth not 

 over six inches thick. In order to give them air, while covering I place sticks 

 along on top of the heap every noAV and then, pack the dirt around them, and 

 when I have finished covering I work the stick around, thus leaving a hole. 

 I leave these holes open until the extreme cold weather, then I throw on 

 a shovel of manure to close them, and the ruta-bagas always come out nice in 

 the spring. 



Some object to feeding turnips to milch cows, because they give a bad taste 

 to the milk and butter. They might do this if they were stunted and strong, 

 but my experience is that ruta-bagas kept growing rapidly through the season 

 are free from that strong taste, and do not affect the inilk. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Rogers. — You spoke about keeping the ground clean. Is that the only 

 thing necessary? 



Mr. Hendryx. — I want to say in addition, when your plants get up pretty Avell 

 cultivate deep and bring up the manure. 



J. J. Woodman. — What kind of a drill do you use? 



Mr. Hendryx. — We use a seed drill which my son purchased in Chicago. I 

 don't know the name of it, but it does excellent work. 



Mr. Glidden. — Any person can fix his farm drill so that it will answer every 

 purjiose in seed-sowing. 



Mr. Hendryx. — A drill is not very expensive. Every farmer should have one 

 to drill in his parsnips, peas, radishes, etc. 



Joseph Gilman. — The last time you go through, do you turn the dirt towards 

 the ruta-bagas or from them ? 



Mr. Hendr}^^. — I never turn the dirt toward the ruta-baga, and I don't want 

 to take much from it. I should not sow my seed earlier than June 20, or later 

 thaii July 7. 



David W^oodmau. — What kind of nita-baga do you find most profitable? 



Mr. Hendryx. — I think the yellow Swedish turnip, or ruta-baga, the most val- 

 uable of any I have ever raised or seen. 



Prof. R. C. Kedzie was next called, who gave his lecture on *'Muck." This 

 lecture, and the discussion upon it, are given after this record of the Institutes. 



Next in order was an essay by Mr. Erastus Osborne, on 



EECLAIMING WET LANDS. 



In 1864 I bought a farm with a stream of water running across it, and skirted 

 along on either side with low, wet land of various qualities, including the mow- 

 ing marsh, poplar grove, willow swale, and all the briars and brambles native to 

 low ground ; and was accounted worthless, or nearly so, by most people. I 

 commenced clearing the highest ground right away, and met with varied success, 

 having no money, and what was of more importance, no knowle(Jge of how the 

 work ought to be done. 



