SWEDISH TURNIPS 



I recollected, that my men had remonstrated me (partly with 

 sorrowful looks and shakes of the head) out of my design to 

 transplant six acres of Indian Corn. 



234. Mr. BYRD S crop was about 350 bushels to an acre. I was 

 at his house on the 23id of this month (November) ; and there I 

 heard two things from him which I communicate with great 

 pleasure. The first was, that, from the time he began taking up 

 his turnips, he began feeding his cows upon the greens : and, that 

 this doubled the quantity of their milk. That the greens might 

 last as long as possible, he put them in small heaps, that they might 

 not heat. He took up his turnips, however, nearly a month too 

 early. They grow till the hard frosts come. The greens are 

 not so good till they have had some little frost : and, the bulb 

 should be ripe. I have been now (27 Nov.) about ten days cutting 

 off my greens. The bulbs I shall take up in about ten days hence. 

 Those that are not consumed by that time, I shall put in small 

 heaps in the field, and bring them away as they may be wanted. 



235. The other thing stated to me by Mr. BYRD pleased me very 

 much indeed ; not only on account of its being a complete con 

 firmation of a great principle of TULI. applied to land in this 

 climate, but on account also of the candour of Mr. BYRD, who, 

 when he had seen the result, said, &quot; I was wrong, friend Cobbett, 

 &quot; in not following thy advice.&quot; And then he went on to tell me, 

 that the turnips in the piece which he had ploughed after the zist 

 of September were a crop a fourth part greater than those adjoining 

 them, which remained unploughed. Thus, then, let no one be 

 afraid of breaking the pretty leaves that look so gay ; and, how 

 false, then must be the notion, that to plough Indian-Corn in 

 dry weather, or late, is injurious ! Why should it not be as 

 beneficial to Corn as to Turnips and Cabbages ? 



236. Mr. BYRD transplanted with his superabundant plants, 

 about two acres and a half. These he had not taken up on the 

 23rd of November. They were not so fine as the others, owing 

 in part, to the hearts of many having been buried, and to the whole 

 having been put too deep into the ground. But, the ridges of 

 both fields were too close together. Four feet is the distance. You 

 cannot plough clean and deep within a smaller space without 

 throwing the earth over the plants. But, as bulk of crop is the 

 object, it is very hard to persuade people, that two rows are not 

 better than one. Mr. JUDGE MITCHELL is a true disciple of the 

 TULLIAN SYSTEM. His rows were four feet asunder ; his ridges 

 high ; all according to rule. If I should be able to see his crop, 

 or him, before this volume goes to the press, I will give some 

 account of the result of his labours. 



237. This year has shown me, that America is not wholly 

 exempt from that mortal enemy of turnips, the fly, which mawled 

 some of mine, and which carried off a whole piece for Mr. JUDGE 

 LAWRENCE at Bay-side. Mr. BYRD says, that he thinks, that to 

 soak the seed m fish-oil is of use as a protection. It is very easy 



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