BRA 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



BRA 



183 



when it is intended only for feeding. Coleseed being an 

 exhauster of land, should not be repeated oftener than every 

 seventh year, and not so often when cultivated for the seed. 

 7. Brassica Rapa ; Turnip. Root caulescent, orbicular, 

 depressed, fleshy. The variations of Turnip are chiefly in 

 the root, and arise from the different soils, situations, and 

 modes of cultivation. The general use of this root, for the 

 table and feeding of cattle, is well known ; and it has been 

 a considerable improvement of light lands, particularly in 

 the county of Norfolk, whence other counties have derived 

 the culture. Skilful farmers prefer the large green-topped 

 Turnip, because the roots grow to a large size, and continue 

 much longer good ; it also grows above ground more than 

 any of the others, which renders it preferable for feeding 

 cattle ; and being the softest and sweetest, even when very 

 large, it is most esteemed for the kitchen. In very severe 

 winters, however, this is in greater danger of suffering by 

 frost, than those whose roots lie deeper, especially if the 

 ground be not covered with snow ; for when the roots are 

 alternately frozen and thawed, they rot sooner than those 

 which are more covered and less tender. Roots of this sort 

 have been boiled when more than a foot in diameter, and 

 ate as sweet and tender as any of the smallest that could 

 be found. The next in goodness to the green-topped, is the 

 red or purple topped Turnip, which will also grow large, and 

 be extremely good for some time ; but the roots will become 

 stringy much sooner than the others. The long-rooted, the 

 yellow.and the black rootedTurnips, are now rarely cultivated 

 except for the sake of variety, none of them being so good for 

 the table or seed, as the red and green topped sorts. The 

 early Dutch Turnip is chiefly sown in the spring, to supply 

 the table before the others can be procured ; and when drawn 

 off young, this sort is tolerably good, but if the roots be 

 left to grow large, they become stringy, rank, and unfit for 

 use. The French Turnip is not much cultivated in England, 

 but in France and Holland it is in great esteem, especially 

 for soups, in which, being small, the roots are boiled whole ; 

 they must be used whilst they are young, otherwise they are 

 rank and stringy. Turnip roots are reputed to relax the 

 bowels, and to sweeten the blood ; to be hurtful to pregnant 

 and hysteric women, and to all who are subject to flatulencies. 

 The juice, well fermented, affords by distillation an ardent 

 spirit. The rind is acrimonious. The tender tops Doiled, 

 are frequently eaten in the spring as greens with meat. 

 Although the practice of sowing Turnips for feeding cattle 

 was evidently known to the ancients, it has only been of late 

 adopted in Europe. The Turnip delights in a light, sandy, 

 loamy soil ; in a rich soil the roots grow rank, and are sticky, 

 but if it be moist, they will thrive better in summer, espe- 

 cially in fresh land, where they are always sweeter than upon 

 an old worn-out or rich soil. In field culture, a deep sand, 

 such as has adhesion enough to make it of the value of from 

 5s. to 10s. an acre, is the best. If the land be wet or stiff, 

 such as yield good Wheat crops, the culture may not be 

 advantageous, especially if used, as it should be, as a prepa- 

 ration for Barley ; on such soil it would shorten the crop at 

 least two or three coombs an acre. Even blowing sands of 

 3s. 6d. or 2s. 6d. an acre, are to be preferred ; for these, 

 when folded, if the season should happen to be wet, yield 

 profitable crops : indeed such lands are to be farmed no 

 other way ; for if no Turnips are gained, no corn can be had, 

 and a mere sheep walk is then the only use that can be made 

 of them. Where a farmer has no proper soil for Turnips, it 

 is more prudent to give up the winter-feeding of more cattle 

 than his hay and straw will do for, unless he can depend on 

 buying Turnips, which may sometimes be advantageous, and 



sometimes the contrary. The first earth or ploughing for 

 Turnips should be given before Christmas, or certainly not 

 later, and should be of a common staple depth ; unless the 

 land is foul, in which case it should be ploughed very shal- 

 low, in two-furrow ridges, and the second time to the full 

 depth, but it should never be ploughed in wet weather. This 

 second earth, for which frequently the farmer has not leisure, 

 should be given before the spring seed-time, and will be very 

 useful ; for if there should be any spire or spear grass (quick, 

 quich, or couch) in the-hand, that pernicious weed is too apt 

 to get a hold before Barley sowing is over. Immediately 

 after the Barley is in the ground, the third earth should be 

 given, this will be in May ; the fourth, about the second week 

 in Juno; and the fifth, or seed-earth, about the latter end of 

 the same month ; unless the soil be subject to the mildew, 

 in which case old Midsummer, the first week in July, will 

 be full soon enough ; and let it be observed, that harrowing 

 with every earth is very necessary, for the surface should 

 always be kept in fine friable order, that the seed-weeds may 

 grow; whereas, if this be omitted till the seed-earth, they will 

 then be grown so powerful as to smother many of the young 

 plants. On a light dry soil, the Turnip-root is in a degree 

 necessary ; but where land will remain in grass, and where 

 other arable crops are more certain and productive, it is less 

 essential to good husbandry : in particular situations, how- 

 ever, under proper management, it may frequently be useful, 

 and may be occasionally practised, on a small scale, in almost 

 every situation. It may be very acceptable, therefore to give 

 the proper tillage of the Turnip crop on rich retentive soils. 

 If the land be foul, or if early sowing be proposed, break 

 up in autumn, by a rice-balk or half-ploughing across the 

 lands, gathering a bont in each interfurrow, and opening the 

 cross trenches in order to lay the soil as dry as possible 

 during the winter : but if the land be tolerably clean, and 

 early sowing be not wanted, break up in the spring, in order 

 that the roots and stems of grasses, &c. may remain in an 

 undigested state, and assist in rendering a closely-textured 

 soil loose, and fit to receive the weakly fibres of the seedling 

 Turnips : cross, and give the first stirring (the third plough- 

 ing) without previous harrowing ; and if the root-weeds be 

 not yet subdued, give a fourth ploughing before the harrows 

 be suffered to come upon the land. Spread dung which is 

 in a middle state on the rough plit ; if too long and strawy, 

 it is pulled up by the harrows, and if wholly digested, it 

 loses the valuable quality of rendering this retentive soil 

 loose and open. As the dung is spread, harrow and roll, 

 until the surface be perfectly reduced, and in this state let 

 it lie until the seed-weeds have vegetated. Turn under the 

 weeds, and manure, by a mean depth, or somewhat shallow 

 ploughing ; if not, harrow and roll, letting another crop of 

 seed-weeds spend themselves; remembering that the stronger 

 the seed-weeds are before they are ploughed under, the fitter 

 the soil will be for the reception of the seedling Turnips, es- 

 pecially if it be of a tenacious quality. Harrow immediately 

 the plit of the seed-ploughing with rough harrows, in order 

 to give a uniform looseness to the surface, as well as that the 

 seed may be buried at a uniform depth. Sow, and imme- 

 diately cover with one full tine of a pair of light harrows, 

 and, if possible, with the horses trotting. For a crop to be 

 eaten off in autumn, sow, in June, the Tankard or Pudding 

 Turnip, which has a rapid growth, but standing high above 

 the ground, cannot bear the winter. For winter and spring 

 feed, sow the common White Loaf'm July ; if these miscarry, 

 or if stubble Turnips be attempted, sow in August the Stone 

 Turnip, a small, hard, sweet root, which stands the winter with 

 singular hardihood. In a common season, sow two pounds 



