362 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



will require a richer soil than the common turnip, although the same kind of fertilizers. The 

 seed should be sown from the 20th of June to the 1st July. Drill-culture is the usual mode, 

 although some set them in hills. The drills should be at a distance of two feet, and the 

 plants either thinned out or transplanted ten inches apart. It is customary in many sections 

 to sow the seed in a bed and transplant afterward. The after-culture is similar to that of the 

 common turnip previously given. 



The following method of cultivating the Swede turnip is given by a gentlemen of 

 Ontario : &quot;This crop is one which only a few farmers can raise to perfection ; but for these few, it 

 is not a difficult matter. When once its requirements and manner of cultivating the soil are 

 understood, it is an easy matter to raise a crop of turnips. Neither does the land chosen for 

 the crop need to be free from weeds, or in a high state of fertility. In this township Pick 

 ering, Ont., noted for its large number of stock-breeders, and the excellent quality of its 

 stock every farmer has his turnip-field (I know of only one exception) sowed generally at 

 the rate of 5 acres on a 100-acre farm. The field chosen is next to the fallow, the weediest 

 on the farm. It is first plowed, well-harrowed and rolled; then between fifteen and twenty 

 loads of manure to the acre are drawn on. By loads, I mean as much as two good farm- 

 horses can, without straining, draw on a wagon. Then it is plowed twice more, at intervals 

 of a week between each plowing, giving at least three harrowings, and a rolling between each 

 plowing. This may be thought to be a great deal of work, but as the destruction of weeds 

 is one of the objects, this object is, as regards thistles, thoroughly reached by the repeated 

 plowings and harrowings, especially if it be a dry season. This large quantity of work, also, 

 both pulverizes and mixes well the manures with the soil, and renders available all the fer- 

 tility, a great part of which would otherwise lie dormant. 



The field is then ridged up, either with a double mould-board plow made for the purpose, 

 or with a common plow, and the seed is sowed as fast as ridged, so that it is sure to be placed 

 in the yet moist earth. The sowing is done by a drill, sowing two rows at once. Generally 

 two pounds to the acre are put in, as the young plants do better when a little crowded. The 

 seed must not be sowed until after the 15th of June, as the fly will eat the young plants as 

 fast as they appear if sown earlier than that date. After the plants are large enough to hoe, 

 a hoe about ten inches long and two wide, made for the purpose, is used, and the soil, 

 together with the supernumerary plants, is pushed away from the plant left. The plants, 

 after thinning, are from ten to twelve inches apart, and lying on their sides. The rows must 

 first be scuffled as closely as possible. After this, one or two scufflings and another hoeing 

 are all that are required. 



The last week in October and first week in November is the harvesting season. Two 

 rows are pulled at once. The knife being held in the right hand, the turnip is pulled with 

 the left, cleaned and topped, then thrown into the furrow at the right, while the tops are 

 thrown to the left; thus four rows are thrown into one, leaving, after pulling, just room for 

 a wagon or cart to be driven between the rows. September and October is the growing 

 season. Frosts that do not freeze the ground solid have no effect on the Swede turnip. By 

 this manner of cultivation crops averaging from three to nine hundred bushels per acre are 

 grown, often yielding as high as a thousand bushels, while the land is left in the best condi 

 tion, rich and free from weeds.&quot; 



Harvesting. Turnips should be gathered before severe frosts set in, although on those 

 sections of the country not affected to any extent by frost they are often, when on dry soils, 

 left on the field during the winter ; the quality is, however, improved by gathering, as they 

 are liable to grow rank in flavor and wormy by remaining in the ground so long. The tops 

 are most easily cut with a sharp hoe before pulling the turnips, a common hoe ground sharp 

 being used for the purpose. It is better to cut off the tops about an inch from the bulb if 

 possible, as they will keep better than when cut close. The roots may afterwards be pulled 



