CHAP. II.] RUTA BAG A CULTURE. 



And what farmer is there, who has common 

 industry, who would grudge to bend his own 

 back eight or twelve days, for the sake of keep 

 ing all his stock through the Spring months, 

 when dry food is loathsome to them, and when 

 grass is by nature denied ? 



78. Observing well what has been said about 

 earth perfectly fresh, and never forgetting this, 

 let us now talk about the act of planting ; the 

 mere mechanical operation of putting the plant 

 into the ground. We have a setting-stick, 

 which should be the top of a spade-handle cut 

 off, about ten inches below the eye. It must 

 be pointed smoothly ; and, if it be shod with 

 thin iron ; that is to say, covered with an iron 

 sheath, it will work more smoothly, and do its 

 business the better. At any rate the point 

 should be nicely smoothed, and so should the 

 whole of the tool. The planting is performed 

 like that of cabbage-plants ; but, as I ,have met 

 with very few persons, out of the market gar 

 dens, and gentlemen s gardens in England, who 

 knew how to plant a cabbage-plant, so I am led 

 to suppose, that very few, comparatively speak 

 ing, know how to plant a turnip-plant. 



79. You constantly hear people say, that they 

 wait for a shower, in order to put out their cab 

 bage-plants. Never was there an error more 

 general or more complete in all its parts. In 

 stead of rainy weather being the best time, it is 



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