J 64 Cultivation of Arable Land. Turnips Preferring of Crops of. 



ly period than ufual, great advantage may, it is contended, he gained to the crops 

 that arc afterwards cultivated on it. 



As the living principle of vegetable roots is extremely liable to be deftroyed 

 by freezing, and their tendency to putrefaction thereby increafed, it is probable, 

 however, that in this way the turnips will be in great danger of becoming rot 

 ten, if they be not immediately confumed after the heaps ars firft opened, and of 

 courfe much lofs be fuftained. 



Mr. Mannings of Norfolk, preferves thefe roots againft frofts by covering them 

 by a deep furrow, at a dry time towards the end of November. His turnips are 

 drilled on the flat furface, but the practice may be equally or more proper on thofc 

 raifed on ridges. 



Jt fcems not improbable but that turnips might be -well preferved againft fe- 

 vere frofts, at leaft on a fmall fcale, by the application of ftraw, fern, or any fimi- 

 lar light fubftance that has the power of refilling its operation, along the rows as 

 they ftand in the field, as is frequently practifed in the garden culture of different 

 kinds of vegetables. Such forts of materials might be applied in a cheap, conve 

 nient, and expeditious manner, by women and children ; proper means, according 

 to circumftances, being provided for fecuring them upon the plants ; the matters 

 thus employed being afterwards either removed or turned into the foil, as may be 

 found moft fuitableand convenient to the cultivator. 



Whenever the prefervation of this root is attempted in heaps, great care mould 

 be taken not to have them too large or too clofely packed together, as by that 

 means the danger of their heating and being fpoiled may be confiderably 

 leffened. 



By thefe means, it is obvious, turnips may be preferved both as a winter and 

 fpnng food for different forts of live flock, even in fituations and feafons that are 

 the moft expofed and fevere. When fheep hufbandry is carried on upon an exten- 

 live fcale it may indeed frequently be a more advantageous practice to have recourfe 

 to this root for the ewes in the fpring months, than to confume them during the 

 winter in fattening neat cattle ; as in this way they will be better enabled to bring 

 forth and provide for their lambs, which are circumftances of great importance. 

 But in mild feafons, \vhen fheep do not fland in need of them, or are not kept in 

 any great number, it may be the moft beneficial method to apply them to the fat 

 tening or keeping of ftore cattle; in the latter of which the animals will be brought 

 into fuch a ftateof forwardnefs, as to be readily completed on grafs in the enfuing 

 fu miner.* 



* Corrected Report of the County of Perth f 



