CHAP. II.] RUTA BAGA CULTURE. 123 



him plough up that spare ground very deep, 

 and upon it I made my gardener go and plant 

 two rows of turnips. These became the largest 

 and finest of the whole piece, though trans 

 planted two days later than those which had 

 been transplanted in the rows throughout the 

 piece. The cause of this remarkable difference 

 1, at once, saw, was, that these had been put 

 into newly-ploughed ground ; for, though I had 

 not read much of TULL at the time here referred 

 to, I knew, from the experience of my whole 

 life, that plants as well as seeds ought always 

 to go into ground as recently moved as possible ; 

 because at every moving of the earth, and par 

 ticularly at every turning of it, a new process 

 of fermentation takes place, fresh exhalations 

 arise, and a supply of the food of plants is thus 

 prepared for the newly arrived guests. Mr. 

 CURWEN, the Member of Parliament, though 

 a poor thing as to public matters, has published 

 not a bad book on agriculture. It is not bad, 

 because it contains many authentic accounts of 

 experiments made by himself; though [ never 

 can think of his book without thinking, at the 

 same time, of the gross and scandalous plagia 

 risms, which he has committed upon TULL. 

 Without mentioning particulars, the " Honour 

 able Member" will, I am sure, know what I 

 mean, if this page should ever have the honour 

 to fall under his eye; and he will, I hope, 



