158 Bulletin 244. 



As with mangels, it is recommended that the effort be made to secure 

 the maximum yield per row, and the use of 30 inch rows is advised, with 

 plants 7 to 8 inches asunder. Thin the common turnips to three or four 

 inches asunder if the variety grown is small, but six or eight inches are 

 necessary for most of the varieties sown for stock-feeding. Some of the 

 advantages of wide rows are, better air circulation among the plants, which 

 aids in checking fungous diseases, fewer rows to cultivate and to thin 

 per acre; and a consequent saving in labor, the object being to produce 

 roots at the least cost per bushel. 



Culture of turnips: 



The land must be kept free from weeds. Since the plants grow 

 quickly, not more than three or four cultivations can be given, with in- 

 tervals of seven to ten days, before the leaves meet in the rows. Fre- 

 quent, shallow tillage will go a long way toward ensuring success. If 

 the plants appear stunted at any time, they should be helped by applying 

 about 50 pounds of nitrate of soda per acre. This should De applied 

 when the leaves are dry, for if it comes in contact with them when wet 

 and dissolves it will burn them. The land should be cultivated as soon 

 as possible after the application is made. The diseases which come to 

 vigorous growing roots are few, and little provision, other than a good 

 rotation and good methods of tillage, is made toward warding off attacks. 



Yield of common turnips: 



Frequently from four to twenty tons are obtained per acre. During 

 1904, the yield was at the rate of from 4.3 to 7.5 tons per acre, but the 

 varieties grown were suitable only for trucking. During 1905, yields of 

 20 to 25 tons per acre were secured from such varieties as the Improved 

 Green Globe and Carter Mammoth or Bullock turnip. In 1906 the largest 

 yield was from White Egg. 



Yield of hybrid turnips: 



During two years (1904-05) the average yield from five varieties 

 on 22 plats sown on May 11 was at the rate of 23 tons per acre, while 

 those sown June 12 yielded nearly 14 tons per acre. During 1904, the 

 yields obtained from the Yellow Aberdeen and Green Top Scotch Yellow 

 turnips were reduced considerably by an attack of soft rot. The bacillus 

 causing the trouble were identified by Mr. Harding of New York 

 (Geneva) Experiment Station as Bacillus carotovorus, Jones, which has 

 done considerable damage in other places. Garton Pioneer was not at- 

 tacked and the average yield for the two years was at the rate of nearly 



