PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 81 



month. One half the trouble of taking care of the crop will be 

 saved by keeping ahead of the weeds. As soon as there are any 

 signs of vegetation of any kind, the hand hoe should be passed 

 between the rows. It may be necessary to do this a second time; 

 but it will be very little trouble compared with weeding. As 

 soon as the rows are visible, the cultivation may be done by 

 horses ; for the horse will keep between the rows if he can see 

 them. What sort of an implement shall the horses use ? The 

 common plow throws the earth over npon the rows. The culti- 

 vator moves with too much irregularity. Construct a skeleton 

 plow of wood, after the pattern of the common plow, taking the 

 beam, one handle, and the land-side, and to that land-side bolt a 

 common cast iron plow point, so as to stand at the same pitch 

 with the common plow; and it is just what is required. It will 

 raise a furrow which will fall in again behind the point and break 

 in pieces ; it will destroy the weeds ; and yet it will not cover 

 the rows. In thinning out the crop, if for the market, they 

 should be left about a foot apart ; but in raising for stock they 

 may be left nearer. It is unnecessary to pull out every plant 

 singly ; but they may be thinned with the hoe ; and two or three 

 left together will grow nearly as large as one in the same place. 

 The best way to prevent injury from the bugs is to provide for 

 them, to sow the roots thickly enough to feed the bugs and yet 

 leave all that are required. The harvesting of turnips is an easy 

 matter. They will keep best if buried in the field ; but for feed- 

 in'g to stock in the winter it will be necessary to put them into 

 the cellar. The amount of stock a farmer keeps is the key to his 

 prosperity; and that will be governed much by the amount of 

 turnips he raises. 



Prof. Nash regarded the turnip crop as of great importance in 

 the present crisis, although not so important permanently. Every 

 country must have its fallow crops. The old principle of. fallow- 

 ing has become obsolete. Instead of the naked fallow, intelligent 

 farmers have fallow crops, which, while they may be in them- 

 selves profitable, have the effect of preparing the ground for other 

 crops and clearing it of foul weeds. The great fallow crop in 

 England is the turnip, from a climatic necessity. Indian corn is 

 our fallow crop from climatic experience. The turnip never can 

 take that place in this country, any more than Indian corn can 



[Am. Inst.] F 



