GARDEN VEGETABLES — TURNIPS. 



it np to the plants, which only produces a tendency to push out side roots, and 



ilisliiTure the l)iilljs. On tlie contrary, when particularly clean and handsome bulhs 

 are wanted, they may be obtained by moving the toi>s from side to side, so as to 

 sever all the roots excepting the main one, which penetrates jteqiendieularly down- 

 wards. This hint may be useful to those who are in the habit of exhibiting, and 

 if practised, will serve such, a good i)urpose. 



The first early crop ought to be sown as soon as the ground is in good working 

 order, after the winter's frost breaks up, and the best kinds for this )iurpose are 

 Earhj White Dutch, Early Six Weeks, and Early Snowhall. The first is the most 

 commonly accepted, but is inferior in beauty to the other two. This sowing is 

 all that will do any good for the present, but, in the middle of July, and on to 

 the beginning of August, another may be made of the Swedish or Ruta baga 

 varieties, the best of which, for kitchen ])urposes, are Skirviny^s Improved Swede, 

 and the smaller Purple-top Swede. These latter kinds are only used during the 

 winter and early spring, but they are nevertheless good when of the size of a 

 pippin apple ; consequently, when there is a preference, they will make a good 

 dish in the fall. The general winter crop of the common sorts, may be put in 

 from the first to the middle, or even last of August, according as the locality is 

 north or south. The middle of the month is about the best time for most of the 

 Middle States, and here I would recommend the Purple-top Strap-leaved (a very 

 handsome, flat, and wbite-fleshed sort, of good flavor). Yellow Dutch, and Golden 

 Ball, both of which are beautifully formed, yellow in color, and keep well. 



Turnips will bear some frost without any apparent external injury, but the tex- 

 ture and flavor are always injured thereby, which makes it necessary to prepare 

 for housing in due time. Choose a dry day to pull the roots, cut off the tops 

 nearly close to the bulb, and throw all that are misshapen or injured to one side. 

 Those that are wanted for immediate and mid-winter use, may be placed in layers, 

 one above the other, in a dry cellar, each of which should have a little dry soil or 

 sand thrown over it, or they may be packed in tight barrels, and covered close 

 with hay or some such like material, to j)revent the air from drying and shrivelling 

 them ; this renders them very inferior, and often causes bitterness. For the re- 

 maining portion, choose a dry spot out of doors, pile the roots in a ridge, the 

 base being from two to three feet wide, cover over a thin layer of straw, and upon 

 this a suificient quantity of earth, to keep out frost. Sometimes, when these ridges 

 of root crops are made large, or the weather should unexpectedly remain mild or 

 over damp, there is more or less of sweating taking place, which always injures 

 the quality, and often causes the roots to decay. This may be entirely prevented, 

 by standing a bundle of straw on the top of the ridge, at the distance of each 

 three feet, until the earthing is completed, when it is to be drawn out, leaving an 

 aperture for the escape of all fermentation or moisture. After a time, these open- 

 ings may be closed with earth, and, while they are in use, a "^" cover should be 

 put over them, to keep out rain. The earth that is raised up, and placed over 

 the ridge of roots, may be taken from, and around, the base, by which an excava- 

 tion is formed ; this will drain all water away, and keep the whole comparatively 

 dry. When the frost becomes severe, a further covering of litter ought to be 

 thrown over the whole, to insure further protection, and, in the spring, turnips 

 preserved in this way will be found equally as good as when first pulled from the 

 garden. 



"f^^' 



