FARMER'* ASSISTANT. 391 



by freezing and thawing repeatedly, as they do in that 

 climate, many of them rot before Spring. 



Others, lor the purpose of preserving them in the field, 

 turn the rows under with a deep furrow run on one side; 

 but this renders them somewhat troublesome to raise again, 

 especially when the ground is frozen ; though in this way 

 they are kept sweeter and fresher, than when stored in high 

 heaps, covered with earth and straw, or sometimes with 

 straw only, as is practised in that Country. 



In the Spring, or at any time when the ground is suffi- 

 ciently dry and unfrozen, those turned under with ihe 

 plough, as just mentioned, might readily be raised with 

 the fork described under POTATOE. 



It is probable that the greater warmth of our Summers 

 will afford larger crops of turnips, than can be raised in 

 Greatbritain ; and of course render the culture more advan- 

 tageous; unless the greater severity of the Winters, in the 

 Northern States, should there be found too great a draw- 

 back on the profits, by requiring too much expense for the 

 supply during that season. We believe, however, that the 

 expense of storing for the Winter-supply, would be found 

 of no great amount, even where the Winters are long and 

 cold. 



In the more southerly States, this expense would be but 

 trifling. In the low lands of North-Carolina, for instance, a 

 tract admirably calculated for the turnip-culture, all that 

 would be necessary to be stored of the crop, would be a 

 supply for about five weeks; and farther south still, less 

 would be requisite. We are not particularly informed, how- 

 ever, whether large growths of these plants can be raised 

 much farther to the south; though we believe they may be 

 grown to a good size in almost all the milder climates, 



It would be advisable to turn under a small part of the 

 crop of the common turnips, in the manner before men- 

 tioned, to be taken up as early in the Spring as the ground 

 should become thawed and rid of the snow, as these would 

 then be fresh for use for some time, and until it was pro- 

 per to begin upon the crop of ruta-baga, which should last 

 until the season for grass. A part also that is to be stored 

 for Winter, even in the Northern States, may be laid in a 

 high long heap and covered with straw, and some earth 

 upon that, in order to be fed out before the approach of the 

 severer part of the season ; as this covering will commonly 

 serve to protect the roots from frost of moderate degree ; 

 and if some of them should even get frozen they may be 

 thawed, by being thrown in spring water, without receiving 

 any essential injury from the frost. 



Perhaps it might be as well, in our colder climates, to 

 store the whole Winter-supply in this way, and let them 



