204 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



The seed is deposited about an inch deep, whilst the 

 moisture is fresh in the earth, and covered by drawing a 

 garden-rake along the rows. 



After this, the light roller is again passed along the 

 ridges, and the work is finished. 



When the plants are about the size of a radish, they are 

 hoed with a turnip hoe, leaving the plants in the rows about 

 twelve inches apart. If any of the seeds fail, and there 

 happen not to be an even crop, the roots, where they are 

 too thick, are drawn out before the hoeing takes place, and 

 transplanted, to fill up the vacant places, and insure a full 

 crop, which is always certain ; inasmuch as ninety-nine 

 plants, out of one hundred, thrive and do well. In trans- 

 planting, care is necessary to prevent the point of the root 

 from turning upwards. 



The weeds, whilst the plants are young, are kept hoed ; 

 but, after the head of the plant has once spread, no weed 

 can live underneath its shade> and the expense of hoeing 

 afterwards is very trifling indeed. 



The whole of the crop is taken up in the month of No- 

 vember, in dry weather. The tops are cut off near the 

 crown of the plants, and the plants, when perfectly dry, are 

 piled up in a shed, and covered with straw sufficiently thick 

 to preserve them from the frost. They kept last year till the 

 latter end of March, and they would have kept much 

 longer. 



The seed may be had of Cochran } Seedsman, in Duke- 

 street, Grosvenor-square, and of Messrs. Gibbs & Co. Half- 

 moonstreet, Piccadilly. From three to four pounds of the 

 seed will be sufficient for an acre of ground, prepared and 

 dibbled according to the method here stated. The price 

 last year was seven shillings per pound; but it may proba- 

 bly be less hereafter, as the Growers of the root, so long as 

 that high price continues, will of course save their own 

 seed, and thereby lessen the demand from the Seedsman. 



THE METHOD BEFORE DESCRIBED ELUCIDATED. 



Form of the Ridges before manuring, 

 a a a a 



The tops of the ridges, about two inches broad, a a a a> 

 Intervals of twenty-four inches from one a to another. 

 Depths about twelve inches from a to b. 

 "Furrows where the manure is deposited, b b b* 



