140 Cultivation of Arable Land. Turnips.-- Methods offowing of. 



moftly put into the earth during the hotter months, there is another circum- 

 fiance that may be of equal confluence in promoting the quick growth of the 

 young plants; which is, that the feed, efpecially in dry hot feafons, be in a 

 great meafure faturated with moifture, and of courfe with the oxygenous prin 

 ciple of the air, before it is committed to the ground ; as by fuch means thefe 

 will not require to be drawn from the furrounding mould, but the procefs of 

 vegetation almoft immediately commence. Jn the culture of this root in the 

 garden, by adopting fuch methods, we have not, even where the feed was 

 fown in the hotted feafons, failed having good crops ; as the plants, from the 

 quicknefs of their growth, are but little expofed to the attacks of the fly, it 

 being chiefly fuch only as from their weak and imperfect growth become fweet 

 and tender that are devoured by this destructive infect.* 



* It is obfervcd by the Rev. II. B. Stacey, in an ufeful pamphlet on the failure of turnip 

 crops, that the fir ft procefs towards vegetation in this feed is its fwelling, by having imbibed 

 a certain quantity of moifture : it is then able to exert its vital powers ; and, in order to fecure its 

 future increafe, when the demand for nourifhment is in proportion to its growth, it fends forth its 

 radicle or little root, which as it lengthens begins to branch out, being covered with very fine hairs 

 refembling down ; which, by fowing a fingle feed clofe to the infide of a glafs veflel filled with moift 

 earth, may be eafily obferved. And that when the radicle has proceeded about half an inch, it fends 

 forth its germ, c^i.fifting of the ftem and feed-leaves, with the bud of the future plant in embryo, 

 Thefe feed-leaves are fuppofed to contain proper nourifhment for the plant during the firft ftage of 

 its growth ; the radicle being then too fmall and weak to furnifh food fufficiently delicate. That 

 every injury, therefore, done to thefe leaves, either from being pun&ured by infects, or deprived of 

 a fupply of moifture, muft affift in checking the growth of the plant. And further, after fufpefting 

 heat and drynef.s to be the principal caufes, that where the feed is fown in fuch feafons there is 

 fcarcely fufficient moifture to caufe it to fprout; and that uwlefs it be depofited to fuch a depth as 

 that it may be fcreened from the a6tion of the fun, its vegetative powers may be deftroyed. But 

 though a great part of it may imbibe fufficient moifture from the dews and dampnefs of the furround 

 ing earth during the night feafon to render it capable of vegetating, its progrefs muft be retarded by 

 the heat of the fucceeding days ; and by being thus alternately moiftened and dried, its vital princi 

 ple be much impaired, if not entirely deftroyed. And even if, as is fometimes the cafe, the feed finds 

 moifture fufficient to enable it to produce both its radicle and germ, and even to raife its feed-leaves 

 above the furface of the ground, ftill the fame deftruftive effects may be ultimately produced ; the heat 

 then exerting its influence on the external parts of the plant, by evaporating its moifture fafter than it 

 is fupplied by the radicle, by which it either withers away, or is fo much injured that it never com 

 pletely recovers itfelf ; and that there is no doubt but that many acres of turnips are annually fpoiled 

 in this way. 



In proof of the above, though it is admitted that turnip crops may be materially injured by the 

 ravages of infefts, the following experiments were made: 



In hot dry weather, in the year l?i)3, fome turnip feed was fown in (hallow drills, drawn by a 

 hoe,, on a light poor foil; and notwithftanding the fly was accufed of having deftroyed many crops in 



