GARDEN VEGETABLES — TURNIPS. 



exhausted bed, will very often produce only barren plants. Nurserymen ought to 

 attend to this ; for any respectable and intelligent nurseryman should be ashamed 

 of sending out plants from a bed which is not in a healthy and fruitful state, since 

 bis customers at a distance depend wholly upon his integrity in sending them 

 sound and healthy plants ; not such as inherit feeble constitutions from "along 

 line" of decrepid ancestors. Yours, &c., An Old Digger. 



GARDEN YEGETABLES, NO. 8. — TURNIPS. 



BY WM. CnORLTON. 



As a part of the winter crop of turnips will have to be sowed in this month, a 

 few remarks on their general culture may be in place at this time. 



We have two classes of this vegetable in cultivation, viz : the common flat and 

 globe-shaped Brassica rapa, and the Su'edish, or Ruta baga {Brassica cmnpestris, 

 var. Ruta baga). In a wild state, both kinds are found growing in Britain, and 

 other temperate parts of Western Europe. In such condition, they are mere 

 weeds, with tough and stringy roots, and some of the varieties contain a consider- 

 able quantity of oily matter of a strongly bitter taste, which is almost entirely 

 obliterated in the most improved kinds, when growing on a suitable soil. So 

 much does the nature of the earth affect the flavor, that turnips sown out of the 

 same packet of seed, will be either tender, sweet, and nutty, or disagreeably pungent, 

 and stringy in texture. To obtain this better quality, turnips should have a well- 

 drained under base, and the very best soil for kitchen use is a pulverized, fresh, 

 and rich sandy loam ; the next best is newly turned up, but thoroughly ameliorated 

 vegetable mould, and the very worst is an old, and for a long time worked garden, 

 that has been glutted with stable manure until the whole has become incorporated 

 into a soapy-like humus. All the Brassica, and our present subject in particular, 

 are much benefited by guano, used previous to sowing or planting — say three 

 hundred pounds to the acre. Upon the first mentioned land, a liberal dressing 

 of rotted barnyard manure is also admissible when there is a deficiency of fertiliz- 

 ing material ; but in the two latter conditions, it is best to give a dressing of 

 caustic powdered lime at the time of digging or ploughing the land. Superphos- 

 phate of lime, when pure, is also good, but does not always pay expenses; and 

 likewise ground bones. The latter has a marked influence, in this instance, ou 

 poor soil, and becomes a permanent assistance to any other crops that may follow. 



There is no use in attempting to have turnips in the hottest months of summer, 

 as they only produce dry and sticky bulbs, and soon run up to seed, while no 

 difficulty is experienced in securing a good quality during three-fourths of the 

 year, provided suitable kinds are sown, and at the proper times. The Swedish 

 varieties require to be sown in drills eighteen inches apart, and half an inch deep ; 

 while the others will have space enough at one foot distance. An ounce of seed 

 will serve for two hundred feet of drill. As the " fly" is often very destructive to 

 the young plants soon after germination, it is advisable not to thin out too soon. 

 The best remedy against this destructive pest, is a free use of water overhead, in 

 the evening, but when this is not applicable, a light dusting of powdered guano 

 will generally save the crop, as will, also, fresh wood ashes, and (though with less 

 certainty) soot or lime. All these contain alkaline or ammoniacal properties, 

 which are obnoxious to the insect, and serve a good purpose as fertilizers. When 

 the plants have grown some four or five rough leaves, there is no further danger, 



d the superfluity should be then reduced, so as to leave those intended to remain, 

 "ght inches apart. Keep the soil free from weeds with the hoe, but never draw 



YoL. YII— Aug. 1857. 24 



