254 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



manured, by manure spread on the furrow and lightly ploughed 

 in. The manure, however coarse, in such case, will become 

 fully decomposed by the spring. In the spring, this land is laid 

 into ridges about twenty-seven inches apart, and the seed sown 

 on the top of the ridge by a machine. In other cases, where the 

 cultivation is more complete, furrows are opened in the spring, 

 and the manure placed in the furrows ; back furrows are then 

 turned so as to form a ridge, upon which the turnips are sown by 

 a drill machine, which, as it deposits the seed, deposits, at the 

 same time, a quantity of ground, or dissolved bones, or some other 

 artificial manure. Sometimes the bones are sown broadcast ; and 

 from twenty to twenty-five bushels of ground or broken bones are 

 considered an ample dressing. On the application of bones as a 

 manure, and their solution by sulphuric acid, that great contri 

 bution of chemistry to agricultural improvement, I shall speak 

 under another head. About two pounds of turnip seed are sown 

 to an acre. The practice of sowing broadcast, which formerly 

 prevailed, is nearly abandoned ; but it is still a vexed question 

 whether they should be drilled in upon a flat surface, or upon 

 ridges. Where the land is thin and liable to suffer by drought, 

 the flat surface is to be preferred ; but otherwise, in my opinion, 

 ridges, with the manure placed under the plant, are much better. 

 The ridges, for Swedes especially, should be at least twenty-seven 

 inches apart, for the common turnip a less distance ; and the land 

 may then be thoroughly cultivated between them. After the 

 last hoeing, if the condition of the land admits of it, cabbages 

 may be planted between the rows. The interval at which the 

 plants are left on the ridge is, generally, about a foot. Mr. John 

 Bloomfield, of Holkham, one of the favorite tenants of Lord 

 Leicester, and from whose experience and excellent farming I 

 derived much valuable instruction, states that he gets a better 

 crop when his Swedes are left at eighteen inches apart. Six 

 inches apart is enough for other turnips. 



Turnips, in the first part of their season, cannot be cultivated 

 too much. The fly is the great evil, in the turnip crop, with 

 which the farmers have to contend. A preventive is found 

 by some farmers in late sowing. The flies are accustomed to 

 appear at a season when, ordinarily, the plants are in readiness 

 for them. By postponing the sowing ten or twelve days, the 

 flies will have passed their period, and the crop is safe. 



