Chap. II.] RuTA Baga culture. 53 



and long necks, and sent out sprouts from the upper 

 part of the bulb ; and, then, the bulb itself (which is the 

 thing sought after) swelled no more. The substance of 

 the bulb became hard and stringy; and the turnips, 

 upon the whole, were smaller and of greatly inferior 

 quality, compared with those, which were sown at the 

 proper time. 



41. The turnips sown between the 1 5th and 26th of 

 June, had all these appearances and quality, only in a 

 less degree. I^ut, those which were sown on the 26th 

 of June, were perfect in shape, size, and quality ; and, 

 though I have grown them larger in England, it was 

 not done without more manure upon half an acre than 

 I scratched together to put upon seven acres at Hyde 

 Park ; but of this I shall speak more particularly when 

 I come to the quantity of crop. 



42. The sowings which were made after the 26th of 

 June, and before the 10th of July, did very well; and, 

 one particular so^ving on the 9th of July, on 12 rods, or 

 perches, of ground, sixteen and a half feet to tlie rod, 

 yielded 62 bushels, leaves and roots cut off, which is 

 after the rate of 992 bushels to an acre. But this 

 sowing was on ground extremely well prepared and 

 sufF'""ntly manured with ashes from burnt earth; a 

 mode of raising manure of which I shall fully treat in a 

 future chapter. 



43. I'hough this crop was so large, sown on the 9th 

 of July, I would by no means recommend any farmer, 

 who can sow sooner, to defer the business to that time ; 

 for, I am of opinion, Avith the old folk in the West of 

 England, that Qod is almost always on the side of early 

 fanners. Besides, one delay too often produces ano- 

 ther delay ; and he who puts off to the 9th may put off 

 to the 19th. 



44. The crops in small plots, which I sowed after 

 the 9th of July to the 30th of that month, greto very 

 well ; but they regularly succeeded each other in dimi- 

 nution of size; and, which is a great matter, the cold 

 weather overtook them before they were ripe; and 

 ripeness is full as necessary in the case of roots as iu 

 the case of apples or of peaches. 



