202' On the Culture of Ruta Bnga. May- 



have fovvn (commonly in my garden) a bed of baga feed, on the 

 2oth or 2rftoi April: die plants are generally ready for tranf- 

 planting by the middle of June ; and about the time I am fowing 

 my common turnip, I dibble the young baga plants in rows, as I 

 do my cabbages, only with fmallcr intervals ; and have in gene- 

 ral found my crop of baga as certain as that of my common tur- 

 nip, and more certain than my cabbages. The trouble of tranf- 

 planting is balanced by the faving of one hoeing, and the ground 

 has had the advantage of being fomcwhat longer worked by the 

 plough in fallow. 



I have not found, as your intelligent correfpondent (a Member 

 of the Eddlefton Farmers' Club) fuggefts, * that the Swedifh tur- 

 nip requires land richer by nature and art ; ' but I find they do 

 bed in deep land, and that they will grow well in land fo moift 

 as would deftroy the common turnip. When I have confidered 

 the greater denfenefs and weight of the Swediili turnip, I have 

 often thought that thefe made up for the larger fize of my com- 

 mon turnip ; but never having made an accurate trial of the weight 

 of the two crops, I here fpeak from conjecture only. 



Your correfpondent adds, that they are * only to be regarded as 

 a corps de referve for fpring. ' My experience of them would 

 difpofe me to cultivate a larger proportion than even that •, but if 

 by this be meant, fuch a quantity as will be fufficient to fill up the 

 chafm in our green meat, from the time of the general failure of 

 the common turnip till our grafs is ready, the value of the ruta 

 baga, by ferving this important purpofe, is moil abundantly elta- 

 bliihed ; and more cfpecially fo in fuch a climate as your corre- 

 fpondent defcribes, where, * two years out of three, ail the turnipo 

 upon the ground at Chriftmas are entirely loft by the froft. * I 

 have fometimes complained that my turnip fuffered more than 

 thofe nearer the coaft, and in drier fituutions around 5 but I have 

 never experienced any fuch lofs as that mentioned, even when the 

 turnip have remained in the ground till March. 



I have fet down the date when I judge it fitteft to fow and trani- 

 plant baga ; but confiderable latitude muft be given here, accord- 

 ing to local fituation, clim.ate, and weather. The drought lall 

 feafon made me defer the plantinrr of my baga till the 29th June, 

 and fome till the 8th of July ; and although we had no rain till 

 the 7th July, both crops did well. I think, however, there is 

 great rifk in putting fuch plants into dry ground in dry weather •, 

 and that it is m.uch better, in general, to wait till you get moifture 

 fulhcient to fet them off readily. 



When the ground is fully reduced by tlie fpade and rake, all 

 the feed may be expe6fed to fpring ; and I have erred fometimes, 

 in not allowin;^ ground enough to give the plants fiill vigour for 

 tranfplmting i?i due time. When nets are not at hand, tiie iatd. 

 bc4 ihould be (^ovcred with dry leaves, or any light litter, to 



lire vent 



