l8c3» On the Culture rf Tuniips. \au 



Thefe are thought to be, and (generally fpeaking) certainly are, 

 better than thofe that are larger, and let at greater diftanccs \ being 

 lefs Hable to receive injury from wet and frofty weather than large 

 ones ; and are not of fo fpungy a nature, but of a firmer and 

 more nutritive quality. For the truth of this aflertion, I appeal 

 to any unprejudiced man who has fairly tried the experiment, 

 whether he rcfide in England or in Scotland. I am, &c. 



A Yorkshire Farmer. 

 RipOTiy ip/j January 1803. 



P. S. — Being diffident of my own opinion upon fo important 

 a fubjecfl, oppofed to fo able a writer as your correfpondent 

 from Northumberland, after the above was written, 1 fent it 

 and the Magazine to a friend of mine (who has cultivated tur- 

 nips with great fuccefs for a number of years), and requefled 

 his opinion upon it. In anfwer, I received from him the fol- 

 lowing letter, in which is contained fo much good fenfe, found 

 argument, and real experimental knowledge, that though his 

 fentiments and my own are fomewhat fimilar, I hope 1 need 

 make no apology for tranfcribing it. 



Dear Sir, 



I efteem myfelf under much obligation to you for the perufal 

 of the Farmer's Magazine. The work appears to be very judi- 

 cioufly conduced, and certainly is aided by a number of intelli- 

 gent correfpondents ; and in particular one, who writes largely 

 on the different modes of cultivating turnips. Of this letter you 

 defire my opinion. 



It is a very difficult matter, in comparing different methods of 

 hufbandry, for a perfon entirely to divefl himfelf of local preju- 

 dice. IJe is difpofed to think, that his own practice, and that 

 of his neighbours, is the beil that can poffibly be followed. But, 

 in order to form a true judgement upon the prefent fubje£l, let 

 us impartially examine it. 



It is well known, that fome men who have been looked up to, 

 as the firft agriculturifts in thefe kingdoms (I mean the farmers 

 of Norfolk), give a decided preference to the broadcail method 

 of fowing turnips j but it muil be allowed by every one who has 

 {een the Yorkfliire method of fowing them, that it is fuperior to 

 the broadcafl in every point of view : it is allowed to be fo by 

 the Northumberland farmer. 



I readily admit and believe, that the Scotch drill will anfwer 

 better than the Yorkfliire one, upon cold fpungy land ; but upon 

 all fields properly called turnip-land, I believe every unprejudiced 

 perfon will give a preference to the Yorkihire one. 



The 



