ROOT CROPS. 249 



serves a more prominent place in our agriculture than it has yet 

 attained. In my experience as a market gardener no one crop 

 ever gave me so large a profit, cost considered, as this in occa- 

 sional years. I have grown from one to five hundred bushels 

 to the acre, and often they have cost less than five cents a 

 bushel when pitted for winter. 



Of the flat turnips there are many varieties, but in all the 

 Western markets the "Purple top strap-leaf" sells best, and this 

 is the variety generally cultivated. We sow in Southern Ohio 

 from the middle of July to the first of September, but consider 

 the first ten days of August the best if the weather is favorable. 

 The soil need not be very rich, but they do best where a little 

 manure has been used for a spring crop. I usually grow my 

 heaviest crops among my melons and cucumbers, as these crops 

 are generally planted on manured land, and the shade of the vines 

 is favorable to getting a stand, and the turnip crop will make 

 after the frosts have killed the vines. I have grown profitable 

 crops by plowing a clover-stubble after cutting the first growth 

 for hay, and also by burning off wheat stubble and harrowing 

 the surface till fine and mellow. I have never succeeded with 

 turnips sown on freshly plowed land, but find they do best on 

 land that has become settled, and the surface made fine. Where 

 stubble is to be prepared for turnips, plow as early as possible, 

 and shallow; then harrow and roll at once. When a heavy rain 

 falls, so as to settle it, harrow again, and drag with the plank- 

 drag. If any manure is used it should bo applied after plowing, 

 so as to be well mixed with the surface soil by the harrow and 

 drag. One pound of good seed is sufficient for an acre. I pre- 

 fer not to mix with any thing to sow it, but find (hat, by using 

 only the thumb and one finger, I can sow evenly, and about the 

 right quantity. 



The most important direction I can give for sowing is, always 

 sow after a rain. The common practice is to watch, and when a 

 rain is coming sow the seed, so that the rain will wash it in. 

 It is the worst possible plan, as the rain forms a crust and 

 starts a crop of weeds, which often outgrow the turnips and 

 smother them. The turnip fly is also much more liable to 



