292 On the Cultivation ofRuta Baga. 



barn yard, and have some fodder put into racks to brouze 

 upon. To the smaller stock, calves, Sec. I give per- 

 haps half a peck a morning and evening with straw, &c. 



With respect to the taste which turnips give to milk 

 and butter, and which forms an objection to their use, I 

 have not found it to arise from the Ruta baga (though it 

 certainly does from the common turnip) at least in any 

 offensive degree ; if it did, I beheve the application of a 

 little saltpetre dissolved and put in the milk in the man- 

 ner used with turnips in England, and now well known 

 here, would effectually remove it. In other respects, 

 the Ruta baga gives much of the appearance and quality 

 of May butter. 



In England, varieties of turnips are raised, as is well 

 known, particularly the white and yellow Norfolk, the 

 Scotch or yellow Bullock, &c. all of which are the fa- 

 vourites of particular districts or people; in some instances 

 one sort exclusively, in others many of them together : 

 and indeed varieties may be useful v\ here turnips are 

 raised to feed upon a large scale, as the early feeding 

 may be begun with the early turnips, tops and all, which 

 continue very good through the month of December, 

 when the yellow turnips, which are certainly more hardy, 

 come into use, and these are succeeded by the Ruta baga, 

 which last through the Spring. 



I have myself cultivated several kinds of white and 

 yellow turnips, particularly the white and yellow Norfolk, 

 Scotch and yellow Bullock, and common white turnip, 

 all with good success as to the produce, but I prefer the 

 Ruta baga, as I think they are a more certain crop, and 

 infinitely more lasting. As a proof of their extreme har- 

 diness, I have found some of those which have borne seed, 

 still fresh at the root, and one which I boiled for curio- 

 sity, nearly as good as before it was planted out. I must 

 remark, however, that none of the field turnips are pro 



