154 Cultivation -of Arabic Land. Turnips Seeding -of. 



only thofe that arc ftrong and which take the lead ; and that when thcfe have ap- 

 pled or formed bulbs, to again take out fuch as do not appear good and perfect, as 

 by this means turnip feed may be procured, not only of a more vigorous nature, but 

 which is capable of vegetating with lefs moifture, and which produces flronger and 

 more hardy plants. The practice of tranfplanting the whole of the turnips for feed 

 for the main crops being contended to be not only highly expenfive but injurious, 

 by diminifliing the ftrength of the plants from the deftruction of their tap-roots.* 

 Good feed may, however, be raifed in either of the methods. 



When the feed is become fully ripened, which is moftly about the times juft 

 mentioned, it is in fome diftrids reaped by cutting part of the ftems, and after 

 wards tying them up into fheaves, which, when fufficiently dry, are built into 

 long (lacks, and kept through the winter, in order to be threfhed out about the 

 periods when it is wanted, as in April or May. f But as in this way much feed 

 is liable to be loft, by its readinefs to cfcape from the pods or (heaths in which 

 it is contained, it is perhaps a much better practice to have it immediately thrafhed 

 out either upoii a cloth on the fpot where it grew, or in fome convenient place at 

 home. It Ihould then be put into proper bags or veffels, and placed in a perfectly 

 dry (ituation. 



As crops of this fort are fubject to much injury and lofs in various ways, the 

 quantity of produce muft be variable ; but it may in general be eftimated at not 

 lefs than from twenty to twenty-four bufhels the ftatute acre. The price of turnip 

 feed being feldom lefs than feven or eight (hillings the bufhel on account of the 

 great demand fork, this fort of culture may at firft fight appear highly advantage 

 ous ; but if the exhaufting nature of the crop, the lofs fuftained in that of a grain 

 one, and the quantity of manure that muft afterwards be applied, be confidered, 

 it is probably only in particular (ituations of foil and climate that turnip feed can be 

 grown to much advantage. 



In the application of turnips to the purpofes of feeding and fattening dif 

 ferent forts of live (lock, there is much variety in the practices of different dif- 

 tricts; but the mod economical and advantageous modes of confuming this 

 highly ufeful root under different circumftances of foil, climate, (ituation, and 

 animals, have probably not yet been fufficiently inveftigated or afcertained by 

 cultivators. 



Though few experiments appear to have been inftituted with a view of de- 



* Experienced Farmer, vol. I. p. 56. 



i Correfted Agricultural Report of Northumberland* 



