THE TURNIP. 185 



men who have acquired a reputation for accuracy, 

 than to trust to dealers who care but httle what kind 

 or quality of seed ihey vend. A pound, drilled, will 

 furnish an abundant supply of plants for an acre ; 

 and if the seed is good, and could be properly dis- 

 tributed, a much smaller quantity would suffice. 

 Some farmers use more seed, that, if attacked by 

 the fly, the chance for escape of a sufficient number 

 of plants may be greater. 



As regards the time of sowing, it may be laid 

 down as a general rule, that those kinds which are 

 the most nutritious require the longest time to ar- 

 rive at perfection ; and, of course, the Swede should 

 take the preference of the Globe or Aberdeen. In 

 England they sow much earlier than we do, or than 

 would, perhaps, be advisable in this country ; the 

 crop being put in from " the beginning of April and 

 throughout May. * * The third or fourth week 

 in May is the time most generally adopted, but in 

 every instance the sowing should be deferred until 

 the ground is in a perfect state of dryness, or in a 

 proper state to promote rapid vegetation." — British 

 Husbandry. In the culture of the turnip, we have 

 sown earlier than has generally been recommended 

 in this country, say from the I5th to the 20th of 

 June, and have experienced no bad results from the 

 practice. From the 25th of June to the middle of 

 July has been recommended ; but we should prefer 

 the earlier to the later period, if the ground can be 

 put in equally good condition for the seed. 



The preparation of soil for turnips can hardly be 

 too thorough and complete. It should be ploughed, 

 harrowed, and rolled until it is brought to a perfect 

 stete of pulverization. " The root- weeds should be 

 carefully raked up, and either carried to the dung- 

 hill or burned upon the land, and nothing should be 

 left undone to bring it into a st^te of good tilth ; that . 

 is to say, clean, dry, free from lumps aiul clods, fine- 

 ly reduced, and wearing the appearance, both to the 



II.— P 



