ROOT CROPS. 173 



hoes and the fingers are to be used, taking out ail tlie plants 

 but one in each ten or twelve inches. As soon as weeds appear, 

 hoeing is to commence, hoeing tlie tops of the ridges to the 

 width of about six inches, showing the plants distinct and clean. 

 Then the plough is introduced, taking a furrow from the side 

 of one ridge going up the field, a furrow from the other ridge 

 coming down, then another furrow from the same side of the 

 first ridge going up, and another furrow from the same side of 

 the other ridge coming down. In taking away the last two 

 furrows, you go within three inches of the turnip plants. Thus 

 a ridge is formed over the original gutter. The next process 

 is, to turn these furrows back again to the turnips. This hoe- 

 ing and ploughing is to be repeated when the appearance of 

 the weeds requires it ; and afterwards the few weeds which 

 may rise are to be hoed or pulled up. In this way, Mr. Cob- 

 bett thinks a thousand bushels of ruta-baga may be raised on 

 an acre that will yield fifty bushels of Indian corn. 



In describing the culture of the mangel wurzel, transplant- 

 ing was mentioned, to fill vacant places. The same may be 

 practiced with the ruta-baga. But unless those vacant spots 

 be dug afresh, the transplanted roots will be much inferior to 

 their untransplanted neighbors, as I found in my last year's 

 experiment. And Mr. Cobbett mentions the like difference in 

 his practice. At the same time he strongly recommends the 

 raising of the ruta-baga, by transplanting for entire crops, as 

 far preferable to the sowing of the seeds, and letting the plants 

 grow where their seeds first vegetated. But then he considers 

 it indispensable to perform this transplanting on ground fresh 

 ploughed, and by sowing the seeds in beds, to raise plants as 

 we do for cabbage, a month's more time is allowed to prepare 

 the ground for their reception. In the work of transplanting, 

 the plain dibble is a necessary instrument. The hole made by 

 4t must be fully as deep as the length of the root ; and this 

 being introduced (taking care in putting it into the hole not to 

 bend its point) the dibble is thrust down by its side, and by a 

 dexterous twist, or circular motion of the hand, the earth is 

 pressed close against the root in its whole length. The largest 

 crop of ruta-bagas he ever raised in England, Mr. Cobbett 

 says, was by transplanting on seventeen acres ; which produced 



