( ^S4 J 



in a field Town with turnips, to find a regular healthy plant 

 in the furrows, whilft along the tops of the ftetches the 

 failure of the crop is regular throughout the field ; and this 

 can only be accounted for from the moiflure exhaled from 

 the former furrows, and to which the top of the ftetch 

 was not proportionably expofed : the drought here muft 

 have penetrated on each fide, and in the bottom of the 

 furrow, and finally have exhaufted thofe parts of the field 

 of tliat portion of moiflure, retained in the body of tlie 

 fletch ; for although in the lad ploughing, the top of the 

 ftetch became the furrow, and confequently a greater fur- 

 face was then expofed to exhalation, yet it fiill retained 

 a fufficient quantity of moiflure, not only to caufe the feed 

 to vegetate, but to pufli the infant plant into the rough leaf, 

 and completely out of danger; hence arifes a neceffary 

 caution in preparing for turnips, to guard againfl the diffi- 

 pntion of moiflure, by reflraining as much as poflible, 

 the too frequent ploughings, in fumiTier fallowing of the 

 field. 



Aconfiderable part of the moift fand, and gravelly loams, 

 might be cultivated with turnips to advantage, were the 

 Scotch two-furrow or ridge pra6lice properly purfued, and 

 the land left well water furrowed. With the means of a 

 low carriage upon a fled, the turnips might be got conve- 

 jfiently from off the land, and in this, great Care fhould 

 always be taken to have the field cleared before Chi-illmas,. 

 or at farthcft before the fpring or feed tops begin to fhoot, 

 otherwife a very material injury will accrue to the fuccced- 

 jng crop. 



The blights which immediately dcflroy, and thofe which 

 .often precede the infe6ls that more or lefs prey upon the 

 roots, leaves, blolfoms, and tender kernels of plants, are 

 of all the evils attaching upon the rural life, the moft cala- 

 mitous 



