Cultivation of Arable Land. Turnips Methods of fowing of. 14 i 



The general fuccefs of agricultors in raifing thefe crops, by putting the feed 

 in immediately after the plough, while the foil is in a moift condition, not only 

 proves the correctnefs of thefe principles, but (hews that great utility may be 

 derived from fteeping the feed in fome watery liquid before it is committed to 

 the ground whenever the feafon is hot, and the furface of the land in a very 

 dry and parched Mate; as by fuch a practice good crops of turnips may fre 

 quently be produced, where they would otherwife almoft wholly fail. The 

 prefervation of the turnip crops in China have, indeed, lately been chiefly 

 afcribed to this practice.* And in farther confirmation of the practice, it has 

 been contended, that when the feed is fown in the time of rain, or when it 

 quickly fucceeds the fowing, the plants grow fo rapidly as to receive no injury 

 On the fame principle, as has been already noticed, it has alfo been maintained, 

 that, by putting the feed in deeper than in the ordinary broadcaft method, as by 

 depofiting it in drills, a more certain crop is produced, from the circumftance of 

 the plants proceeding in their growth with greater rapidity. f As it has, how 

 ever, been Jhewn that the atmofpheric air has much effect in promoting the quick 

 vegetation of moft forts of feeds when put into the ground, care mould be taken 3 

 as has been fbewn above, not to place them at fuch a depth as that it may be 

 prevented from affording its moft beneficial influence. 



After -Culture. On this part of turnip husbandry being performed in an ef 

 fectual manner, and at fuch periods as are the moft fuitable for promoting the 

 growth of the young turnip plants and preventing thofe of the weed kind from in 

 juring them by the obftruction and (hade which they produce, much of the fuccefs 



the adjoining grounds, the feed came up and produced a good crop. And in 1794, the fame experi 

 ment was repeated with fimilar fuccefs, although the fly was more general than in the former year. 



But in order to afcertain whether any advantage would be derived by fowing the feed deeper, under 

 an idea that the germ would require more time to force its way to the furface, and the radicle at the 

 fame time be increafing its power downwards, and confcquently be more capable of withftanding the 

 fun s heat, thirty-two turnip feeds were fown at different depths, in glafs veffels filled with comirion 

 garden mould, and plunged into the earth; on the fourth day after fowing they were examined, and 

 Ihe refults were as follow : 



The feed fown at 4 in. depth, had mot forth a radicle, 3 in. long, germ 1 in. 



3 ditto ditto 24 ditto ditto 4&quot; 



,. I on an avrage. 



2 ditto ditto 2 ditto ditto | f 



1 ditto ditto 1-f- ditto ditto -J J 



* Sir George Staunton s Etnbafiy to China, vol. Ml. p. 310, 8vo. edit.; and Oillet in Bath Papers,-, 

 vol. II. 



r, in Tranfaftions of the Society, of Arts, vol. Xtl. ; and Stacey s Observations, p. 20. 



