^C6 On ihe Drilled Turnip Hujhandry of Bernvic\fh)'ire. l^ov; 



To THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMEr's MAGAZINE. 



Sir, 



I DO myfelf the pleafure of tranfmitting to you an account of 

 the drUled turnip hu/hatidry of BerwickJJjirey drawn up in 1797, at 

 the del: re of the Earl of Lauderdale, for the ufe of his Grace 

 the Duke of Bedford, by Mr Low at Woodend, a gentleman 

 well known to a great number of your readers, and one who 

 entertains more correct views of rural economy in all its branch- 

 es, than almoft any perfon of his profeflion. Truftino^ it may- 

 prove advantageous to farming people in many dillridls, I re- 

 commend its infertion in your Magazine, though it m.ay not be 

 improper to add, that a few copies were printed by one of the 

 author's acquaintances in Edinburgh, and circulated among hi» 

 particular friends. I am, Sir, yours, &c. 



A Friend to Improvements. 



Method of Cultivating and Ruifing Turnips in Drills^ as praBifed 

 in Beriuichjljire and the Neighbouring Counties, 



General HiJJory. — The pracllce of fowing field turnips in drills 

 has prevaileel in Berwickihire thefe forty-five years pad ; though, 

 from fmall beginnings, the culture of this ufeful root has in- 

 creafed fo much, and been fo extenfive, that the practice has 

 been communicated to all the neighbouring counties, and the 

 ploughmen and overfeers, who have been long accufbomed to 

 migrate, have in fom»e degree extended it all over Scotland : 

 And wherever it has been pra6tifed and well underftood, it haa 

 got a decided preference to the broad-caft hufbandry, for the 

 following among many other obvious reafons. 



1. The land under a drilled crop, which admits the plough 

 between the drills, is better clean:;^d, and cultivated more like 

 land und^r fallow than under crop. 



2. The hand-hoeing of the drill crop is much eafier perform- 

 ed than that of the broad-caft crop, the former being done by 

 women and children, who can learn their work in a day, where- 

 as the latter requires gardeners, or expert and long experienced 

 hand-hoers. 



3. The earth is generally laid up to the drill turnips by the 

 plough, and on this account they are better covered, and confe- 

 quently better preferved in cafe of fevere frofts, which often 

 fpoil the cop, efpecially in high fituations. Befides this, the 

 drilled turnips are very eafily got at in time of deep fnow, and 

 are in that fituation taken up with lefs lofs than the broad-caft 

 frop. 



