S62 MODERN FARRIEK. 



turnip knives made from old scythes, cut off the 

 whole of the roots, cavefully cleaning the turnips, at 

 the same time, from any earth which may adhere to 

 them. The turnips are then carted to the turnip 

 barn, the door of which is wide enough to allow the 

 <!art to back in, and throw them do\yn. Here the 

 men v/ith their turnip knives are again ready imme- 

 diately to cut off the whole green tops or shaws of 

 the turnips, and these green tops are immediately 

 given to cows, young winterling cattle, sheep, &c. 

 who readily eat them when fresh. The turnips, 

 now quite clean, are piled up in one end of the barn 

 like cannon balls, and will keep in excellent order 

 for months tooether. Should the winter storm set 

 in, a small quantity of clean dry stravv'' laid over 

 them, will effectually preserve them from being in- 

 jured by the frost. The other end of the barn re- 

 ceives the straw and litter for the use of the byre. 

 The advantages proposed to be derived from this 

 method of treating the turnips are, 1. The preserva- 

 tion of a great many of the best turnips, which, if 

 allowed to remain on the field during winter, are 

 unavoidably spoiled by the effects of the weather, 

 and the alternate operations of enow, rain, and frost. 

 2. The green tops being cut off fresh and good, are 

 immediately consumed, in place of being entirely 

 lost if allowed to remain on the field. 3. It saves 

 much labour and trouble, both to men and horses, 

 to lay in a stock of turnips at once in place of going 

 to the field every day, whether good or bad, and 

 when, as the fields are necessarily wet and soft, the 

 horses, carts, and harness, are severely strained, and 

 the fields poached and cut up. 



Lastly, I5y having a couple of months supply of 

 turnips in the barn, you are never under the neces- 

 sity of using frosted turnips, which are often little 

 better than lumps of ice. And even if you should 

 not incline, or find it convenient, to lay in so large 

 a stock of turnips at once, still you can take the ad- 



