CHAP. II.] RUTA BAGA CULTURE. 143 



a half a day, and his oxen keep their flesh ex 

 tremely well upon the refuse of the Ruta Baga 

 which I send to market. What is the cost then ? 

 And, what a fine state the grass is thus brought 

 into ! A very different thing indeed is it to 

 plough hard ground, from what it is to plough 

 ground in this fine, broken state. Besides, every 

 previous ploughing, especially deep ploughing, 

 is equal to a seventh part of an ordinary coat 

 of manure. 



95. In the broad-cast method I would give 

 the same number of previous plough! ngs, and 

 at the same seasons of the year. I would spread 

 the manure over the ground just before I 

 ploughed it for sowing. Then, when I ploughed 

 for the sowing, I would, if I had only one pair 

 of oxen, plough about half an acre, harrow the 

 ground, sow it immediately, and roll it with a 

 light roller, which a little horse might draw, 

 in order to press the earth about the seeds, and 

 cover them too. There need be no harrowing" 

 after sowing. We never do it in England. The 

 roller does all very completely, and the sowing 

 upon the fresh earth will, under any sun, fur 

 nish the moisture sufficient. I once sowed, on 

 ridges, with a BENNETT'S drill, and neither har 

 rowed nor rolled, nor used any means at all of 

 covering the seed ; and yet I had plenty of plants 

 and a very fine crop of turnips. I sowed a 

 piece of white turnips, broad-cast, at Hyde Park, 



