TURNIP. 91 



have risen in that county from one or two shillings to twenty 

 shillings an acre ; a county consisting chiefly of sheep walks 

 and rabbit warrens, has been rendered highly productive ; 

 and, by dint of management, what was thus gained has been 

 preserved and improved to the present moment. Some of 

 the linest grain crops in the world are now growing upon 

 land, which, before the introduction of the Turnip husbandry, 

 produced a very scanty supply of grass for a few lean and 

 half-starved rabbits. 



" Mr. Colquhoun, in his ' Statistical Researches,' estima- 

 ted the value of the Turnip crop annually growing in the 

 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, at fourteen 

 million pounds sterling, (equal to upwards of SIXTY MILLIONS 

 OFDOLLAR3.) But when we further recollect, that it enables 

 the agriculturist to reclaim and cultivate land, which with- 

 out its aid, would remain in a hopeless state of natural 

 barrenness, that it leaves the land clean and in fine condition, 

 and also to insure a good crop of Barley, and a kind plant 

 of Clover; and that this Clover is found a most excellent 

 preparative for Wheat, it will appear that the subsequent 

 advantages derived from a crop of Turnips must infinitely 

 exceed its estimated value as fodder for cattle." (Sir Wil- 

 liam Scott in the Quaterly Review.) As I have undertaken 

 to " assist the Young Gardener," I shall proceed to point 

 out the most proper means of cultivating this truly valuable 

 vegetable in his garden. 



The preceding remarks show the kind of land that may 

 be made capable of producing not only Turnips, but other 

 things of equal value. It must however be granted, that 

 some soils naturally suit particular kinds of vegetables better 

 than others, and that in general, exotic plants will succeed 

 best in such soils as are nearest like their own native soil. 

 As we have not always a choice,! would inform the Young 

 Gardener, if he has a very light soil which is not suitable 

 for vegetables in general, he may sometimes get two crops 

 of Turnips from it in one year, by sowing seed for the first 

 crop early in March, and that for his second in the middle 

 of August. For general crops, it will be better to have 

 ground manured with short rotten dung, or compost con- 



