136 On the Cultivation of Turnips. 



Mr Church of Hitchill, an eminent fanner in Dumfriesshire, has 

 ascertained, that it is the hest mode of securing an early and regular 

 vegetation, to sow the seed of the turnips on moist dung, as soon as 

 it is spread in the drills, and afterwards to cover the dung by the 

 plough, but not quite so deep as usual. This practice is highly use- 

 ful in dry soils and seasons, and should never be neglected, where 

 there is any risk of losing the crop for want of moisture. In a dry sea- 

 son, when the globe, and the Swedish turnips, did not vegetate till 

 a month after sowing, and the crops, after all, turned out but mode- 

 rate, the turnips produced by this plan attained a great size, (from 

 15 to 281bs. tops included), and many of them could not get larger 

 for want of room in the drills *. 



The following plan has been found an effectual method for insuring 

 the destruction of the fly. 



As soon as the ground is completely prepared for sowing the seed, 

 let a quantity of stubble, straw, furze, dried weeds, heath, wood 

 shavings f , or any other sort of cheap inflammable matter, be spread 

 upon the surface, and burnt upon the ground, moving the flame for- 

 ward, from time to time, and managing it, if possible, so that the smoke 

 shall spread over the field. This is easily done in those dry seasons, 

 when alone the fly is to be dreaded. As soon as that operation is 

 completed, the seed should be instantly sown. The flame and smoke 

 either kill the insects, or compel them to take shelter, if any crevice 

 can be found in the soil, where they are likely to remain, until the 

 young turnips are out of danger. The heat also, thus applied, and 

 the ashes thus produced, are of some use to the crop. Nor does it 

 require a great quantity of combustibles, to go over the field, merely 

 for the purpose of destroying the vermin by the heat, the flame, and 

 the smoke. It is probable, (though the quantity has not yet been as- 

 certained), that from one to two tons of stubble or straw would be 

 sufficient. The security of a crop of turnips would surely be cheap- 

 ly purchased by such a sacrifice ; and if stubble is used, the object 

 can be obtained, almost without expense. 



The practice of burning straw and gorse on the surface of the 

 soil, as a means of manuring it for turnips, has long been practised in 

 the Wolds of Lincolnshire J. In Dorsetshire, however, it has been 



* Husbandry of Scotland, 1st edition, p. 266. This idea of sowing on the 

 moist dung, is peculiarly calculated for the row culture of turnips, not sown 

 in raised ridges. Let the surface be covered with rotten dung. When a fur- 

 row is made, rake as much dung as is necessary into the hollow, sow, by a 

 drill-barrow, the turnip- seed on the dung, and cover it slightly with the next 

 furrow-slice. The crop is not then likely to suffer, either from drought, or 

 from the fly. 



f Mr Wigfull senior, in his remarks upon this plan, recommends, that deal 

 and other wood shavings, should be collected from builders, joiners and carpen- 

 ters, in the nearest towns and villages, and conveyed in bags where wanted. 



f See Young's Report of Lincolnshire, p. 267. The quantity of straw used, 

 when employed as a manure for turnips, was from four to five tons per acre ; 

 but much less would do, where spreading flame and smoke over the surface of 

 the field is the sole object. It will only be necessary to use straw, for trying 

 some experiments with burning ; and if it succeeds, industrious farmers can af- 

 terwards find no difficulty, in collecting as much stubble as may be necessary, 

 and stacking it in the field where the turnips are sown, so as to prevent the ne- 



