TURNIP. 



TURNIP. 



Methods of solving. The modes of sowing are 

 various ; but the general principle to be at- 

 tended to is, to get the seed into the nearest 

 possible connection with the manure used, so 

 that it may have all the advantage of its fer- 

 tilizing influence in the earliest stage. This 

 is forestalling, because, it decides the drill 

 method to be the most valuable, before we de- 

 scribe the others ; but it is a principle so ne- 

 cessary and obvious as to strike every reflect- 

 ing person at the outset. The old broadcast 

 plan was, to spread on the manure, plough it 

 in, and then very carefully sow the seed with 

 the hand. This practice is almost everywhere 

 abandoned, nor can it be justified or recom- 

 mended in any case. 



The plough drill is used where farm-yard 

 manure only is employed. The manure is 

 spread on the ground, and the plough follows 

 with the drill, being fixed to the right-hand side 

 of the plough, and thus deposits the seed im- 

 mediately in the seam made by the plough, and 

 directly upon the manure just covered by the 

 plough. The plough-drill is only useful where 

 very bulky manure alone is applied. See 

 DRILL. 



The ridge or Scotch method is used with 

 success, especially on inferior and thin soils, 

 and has its decided advantages. The ridges 

 are made either with a single cast of the double 

 mould-board plough, or a double one of the 

 common or ribbing plough, and from 20 to 28 

 inches apart. A cart with manure follows, and 

 women are generally employed to drop the 

 manure into the seams made by the plough. 

 The plough again follows, and closes the 

 ridges, covering the manure ; and the drill 

 succeeds, drawn by one horse, and sows one 

 ridge at a time. A light roller goes over the 

 sown ridges to cover the seed, and sometimes 

 the ridges are rolled before the sowing. This 

 plan takes more time and labour to effect it, 

 but the turnips generally succeed; and if they 

 should be destroyed by the flea-beetle, they can 

 be resown with more probability of success 

 than by any other method. 



The general and most expeditious way is by 

 the large drill. This is constructed to deposit 

 the bones, ashes, &c., with the seed, upon the 

 level surface, drilling 6 or 7 rows at once. It 

 is drawn by 3 horses, and will drill 12 acres 

 per day. The seed does not run down the 

 same funnel as the bones, but has a separate 

 apparatus immediately behind the latter, and 

 the coulters of the drill generally cover the 

 whole. A pair of light harrows are usually 

 passed over once after the sowing ; and should 

 much heavy rain succeed, it is desirable to 

 give it another turn with the harrows imme- 

 diately before it is dry, to prevent it from 

 scarping. The quantity of seed sown by each 

 of these methods, is from 2 to 3 pounds per 

 acre. 



jSftcr Culture. When the turnip plants are 

 of about 3 weeks' growth, they require to be 

 thinned, and the weeds destroyed. This is 

 usually performed by hand-hoeing; but in 

 some cases Swedes are hand-thinned by wo- 

 men, and subsequently horse-hoed, which can 

 be done in all cases where they are sown in j 

 ridges, and is a considerable saving of labour. ! 

 1068 



No two plants should be left together at the 

 first hoeing, but they should be thoroughly 

 singled ; and a second hoeing must take place 

 about 2 or 3 weeks afterwards, to destroy the 

 weeds. For ordinary crops, they should be 

 left 7 to 12 inches distant, according to the 

 richness or poverty of the soil ; if the latter is 

 the case, they should be at shorter distances, 

 as they will grow to a smaller size. The 

 whole of the ground should be gone over, as it 

 loosens the earth, and promotes the growth of 

 the plants. The double operation is usually 

 performed for from 6s. to 7s. per acre. Some- 

 times the crop requires hand-weeding in the 

 autumn, especially if the soil is infested with 

 charlock. 



Diseases. The extensive and repeated cul- 

 ture of the turnip has fostered the rapid in- 

 crease of its natural enemies ; and after all the 

 pains, labour, and expense of the cultivator, he 

 often sees his crop entirely destroyed, or seri- 

 ously injured. The remedies he can apply for 

 many of these can only be termed palliative ; 

 but still he has much in his power; and as the 

 knowledge of natural history and field-ento- 

 mology advances, he may expect more and 

 more assistance. See INSECTS. 



The turnip flea-beetle (Haltica ncmorutni) is 

 one of the worst enemies which attack the 

 turnip plant, which it does when in its seed- 

 leaf state, and often destroys a crop, and even 

 the second and third sowings. Various steps 

 have been taken in order to prevent its attacks, 

 and several steeps for the seed used, but with- 

 out success ; top-dressings of a saline and as- 

 tringent character have been applied, but have 

 failed; machines have been invented, but none 

 of these have succeeded. The only directions 

 which can be given are: sow plenty of seed; 

 use stimulating manure, to excite the plants to 

 vigorous growth in their first stages, and se- 

 cure a sufficiency of moisture in the soil at the 

 time of sowing; especially keeping seedlings 

 in turnip fields clear of charlock, which nurses 

 the flea. See FLY IN TURNIPS. 



The black caterpillar, larva of the Jlthalia 

 centifolia, also preys upon the leaves in a more 

 advanced stage, appearing on the plants when 

 they are about 3 weeks old. See SAW-FLY. 



Another disease to which the turnip is liable, 

 is vulgarly called "fingers and toes." See AN- 

 BURY. 



The wire-worm is a sad enemy. (See WIRE- 

 WORM.) The swarms of aphides, or plant 

 lice, severely injure the turnips ; and, from the 

 smallness of their size, are often unobserved. 

 In 1836 they committed terrific ravages. They 

 suck the juices of the plant, and appear in 

 countless numbers. They are both oviparous 

 and viviparous, and increase with amazing 

 rapidity. Happily they are always followed by 

 swarms of lady-cows, which feed on them, as 

 well as insectivorous birds, which destroy vast 

 numbers. No remedy can be applied with any 

 probability of success. Every farmer should 

 carefully protect swallows, red-breasts, &c., 

 which are great destroyers of the aphides. 



Slugs are, especially on newly ploughed soils, 

 great devourers of the turnip plant in all its 

 stages. Ducks will devour them, but always 

 injure the plants. Three bushels of quick 



