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THE CULTURE Part III. 



SECT. II. 



Of the culture of 'Turneps, according to the new hiijbandry, by 



M. DUHAMEL. 



A Light fandy foil, fomewhat moift, is the fittefl land for 

 all forts of turneps : but with the help of good culture they 

 may be raifed in almoil any foil, except chalk and clay, where they 

 feldorn do well. 



It is proper to obferve that all roots, fuch as turneps, parfneps, 

 carrots, Qc. thrive befl: where there is great depth of mould. We 

 trenched our whole garden three feet deep. All the pot-herbs 

 grew very fine, and roots in particular were of a furprifing length 

 and bignefs. 



This fhews that the ground intended for turneps ought to be well 

 ftirred, and as deep as pollible: and as turneps delight in a light foil, 

 we mufl: endeavour to bring the flrong foils into that ftate, by the 

 two means we have already mentioned as capable of producing that 

 effedl, viz. dung and plowing. If dung is wanting, the plowings 

 mufl; be repeated in proportion to the ftrength of the foil. 



Turneps may be fown from the middle of May to the beginning of 

 Auguft, but the ufual feafon is about midfummer. Their fuccefs de- 

 pends greatly on the nature of the foil and the fl:ate of the weather. 



An ounce of feed will fovv as much land when drilled, as a pound 

 will in the common way; becaufe when care has been taken to fow 

 only the neceflary quantity of feed, there will be no occafion to thin, 

 the plants afterwards, when they are hoed. 



The befl way is to fow them in fingle rows fix feet afunder. Mr. 

 TuU fowed them in double rows; but they did not do well. He 

 likewife fowed them in fingle rows, but at the diftance of only three 

 feet. Thefe yielded more turneps than a neighbouring field which 

 was fown and managed in the common way. But it is llill better to 

 leave a fpace of fix feet between the rows ; and if the alleys are well 

 plowed to the depth of five or fix inches, the turneps will thrive 

 wonderfully, even tho' no other moifture falls but the dews, which 

 will fink into the earth to their roots. 



Notwithfi:anding Mr. Tull's experiment, I would fow them in 

 double rows; or, if in fingle rows, thofe rows fhould be but four 

 feet afunder. That is the fpace which is left in Languedoc between 

 t^e rows of vines, and which is plowed with oxen. 



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