110 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



under such circumstances as have been mentioned, 

 its cultivation is strongly to be recommended. 

 An eminent Scotch writer well observes : 



" The introduction of the turnip to field cultivation, 

 is undoubtedly one of the most important events that 

 has occurred in the history of British agriculture. 

 Had the turnip still continued to be what it originally 

 was — a mere garden plant, cultivated only for culinary 

 purposes — it is no exaggeration to say that Britain 

 would not now have occupied the high position she 

 now enjoys among the nations of the earth, whether 

 as regai-ds agriculture or commerce. Without the 

 tiirnip, rotation of crops would have been still limitei 

 to woedy corn [grain] and foul pastures ; the produc- 

 tion of butcher meat would have depended on pastur- 

 s^e, and consequently the great mass of the population 

 must still have been condemned to a farinaceous diet 

 or salted rations in winter. The cultivation of the 

 potato would have increased to such an extent, that 

 tie whole of Britain must now have been what Ire- 

 land lately was. In Scotland, especially, has the in- 

 troduction of turnip cultivation shown how vast are 

 the changes which Bpring from apparently trivial 

 eauses." 



"We quote the abore remarks, for the purpose of I 

 showing the value placed upon the turnip in Great 

 Britain. On all the light soils of England, one-fourth 

 of the arable land is annually sown with ruta basras 

 and turnips. We are well aware that the climate^ of 

 this country is not so well adapted to the growth of 

 root crops; but it is certain that we might cultivate 

 them to a greater extent with advantage. We be- 

 lieve that as large crops have been grown here and 

 in Canada as in England. As a general rule here, 

 farmers bow a little turnip seed, and leave the plants 

 to take care of themselves. If they escape the at- 

 ta,cks of the fly, and produce a few fair bulbs, well; 

 if not, no matter. In England, on the other hand, 

 more labor and expense is bestowed on the cultivar 

 tion of turnips than on any other crop. We have 

 known fifty dollars an acre expended in the cultiva- 

 tion and manuring of a crop of ruta bagas ; and 

 tv^renty dollars is a low average estimate. Morton's 

 Cyclopedia of Agriculture estimates the " total ex- 

 pense of growing an acre of turnips" on a "large 

 class of medium turnip soils, in average condition es 

 to cleanliness," at £8.5.2 per acre (say |40). In 

 East Lothian, the sanie authority estimates the cost 

 at .£10.3.6 (say $50). ''Does it fay," we hear our 

 leaders ask, " to expend so much money and labor 

 on a single crop ? " We believe it does not pay, di- 

 rectly. In other words, the turnips cost more than 

 they are worth aa food for stock. But, indirectly, 

 Inrnip culture is undoubtedly very profitable. An 

 English farmer, of great experience, once said to us, 

 * Insure me a good crop of turnips, and I will insure 

 ou good crops of everything else in the rotation." 

 n popular language, turnips draw largely on the 

 atmosphere for their food ; and, when grown and 

 fojisumed on the farm, furnish a large quantity of 

 mariare of great value for the cereal crops which fol- 

 low. Then, again, turnips are a 'fallow crop." If 

 they were cut grown, the land would have to be fal- 

 lowed, in order to destroy the wetds aod prepare it 

 for wheat la considering the economy of lumip 

 culture, therefore, we must~not charge the whole ex- 

 pehse of cleaning and preparing the land to this 

 crop, as much of the cultivation would be needed if 

 turajps w«jre left oat of the rotatioa. Neitb,cr is it 



I 



right to estimate the crop as worth only the value 

 of the beef, mutton and wool which its consumption 

 by cattle and sheep produces, without taking into 

 consideration the value of the manure left on tie 

 farm. According to such an estimate, turnip culture 

 in England would be a losing business ; but taking 

 all things into consideration, it will be found not only 

 profitable, but, with our present knowledge, abso- 

 lutely indispensable to good agriculture. 



We admit that our climate is not as well adapted 

 to the growth of root crops as that of the British 

 Isles, but at the same time we think no one will con- 

 tend that if we took as much pains in manuring, and 

 cultivated as highly as the English farmers, we could 

 not grow fine crops of mangel wurzel, ruta bagas and 

 turnips. These roots must have good cultivation, 

 and plenty of room. They are generally left too 

 thick. Fair crops of turnips and ruta bagas are 

 sometimes obtained in very favorable seasons by scat- 

 tering the seed broadcast on clean land; but as a 

 general rule such treatment must inevitably result in 

 failure. It is an old saying, " slovenly farmers get 

 good crops once in seven years," but during the other 

 six — with root crops especially— their experience is 

 anything but satisfactory. It requires more labor, 

 but it will, in nine cases out of ten, pay better to sow 

 in drills two to two and a half feet apart, and thin 

 out with the hoe one foot apart in the rows, than to 

 sow broadcast 



We have received quite a number of communica- 

 tions on the cultivation of root crops, and cannot con- 

 clude this article better than by giving a few ex- 

 tracts. 



Mr. F. BowEN, of North Boston, N. Y., saya, 

 " Turnips should be sown on a deep, rich soil, broad- 

 cast, and harrowed in. They may be sown any time in 

 July, but best about the first or second weeL Ruta 

 bagaa can be sown in June, in rows two feet apart, 

 and twelve to fourteen inches in the row. There is 

 no crop a farmer can raise which yields so much food 

 for his stock, or is so well adapted to the climate." 



Mr. James L. Thain, of Lake Co., Ill, well ob- 

 serves: "The cultivation of root crops is one of the 

 most important items of stock raising. The land 

 designed for rata bagas should be plowed in the fall, 

 so that the ground will be mellow, and the stubble 

 and manure well rotted, unless they are to be maE- 

 ured in the drill, which is far the best, as the roots 

 come in more immediate contact with their food. If 

 manure is put into the drill it must be well rotted. 

 Having the land prepared smooth and of fine tilth, 

 commence running the drills twenty-eight inches apart, 

 opening them with two furrow; then spread the man- 

 ure upthe open furrows; close them with two furrowt^ 

 thereby leaving a crease on top for the seed. If not 

 provided with a seed drill, take a tin tube one foot 

 long and one and a half inch across; bore eomo holes 

 in the bottom; tie a rod three feet long to it; take 

 the rod in your hand and walk at a good pace, shak- 

 ing it as you go along; then take a roller and paas 

 over the rows once. The quantity of seed required to 

 the acre is one and a hidf pounds. Some think one 

 pound is sufficient, but we must make allowance for 

 the fly and bad seed. The best time to sow them is 

 from the 20th of May to the first of June. Some 

 object to sowing them so early, but when they are 

 sown late they do not come up as ivell — the ground 

 getting so dry. Another thing, the fly hurts them 

 more, (uid if &owq Uiter ihej caoaot l>e prop&rl; taiiea 



