WORCESTER SOCIETY. 165 



crop. In October, 1850, manure from the hogpen, of the first 

 quality, (a considerable quantity of small bones being in its 

 composition,) at the rate of 40 loads per acre, was carted upon 

 the land and immediately ploughed under. Nothing more was 

 done to the land until last June, when it was ploughed and 

 prepared for a turnip crop. The seed sown the 3d of July, 

 full twenty days too soon, in rows about twelve inches apart. 

 But very few weeds ever started. This crop was thinned the 

 first of August, and no hoeing was necessary, or weeding of 

 any amountj as no crop of weeds had been grown on the land. 



TURNIP FIELD, DR. 



To ten loads of manure, . . $10 00 

 Ploughing and harrowing land twice, 1 00 

 To ^ lb. Scriving's imported Ruta- 

 baga seed and sowing, . . 75 

 Thitming, one hand one day, . 1 00 

 Harvesting and storing . . 1 50 

 Interest on land, at f 200 per acre, 3 00 



$17 25 



CONTRA, CR. 



1851.— Nov. 17. By 129 bushels of ruta bagas at 25 



cents per bushel, for table use, $32 29 



" Brassica Rapa." — This turnip seed was raised by Mr. 

 Scriving, near Liverpool, England, and is what he claims to be, 

 his improved ruta baga. This is the first crop ever raised in this 

 country to my knowledge. Its form and appearance closely re- 

 semble the ruta baga that we have been growing the last dozen 

 years. The only important difference is that this shows no 

 disposition to go to seed before harvest, and the stem and top 

 as well as roots are at least 75 per cent, less than on the old va- 

 riety. This has no strong taste like the old, and is heavier in 

 proportion to its bulk. As I have no knowledge of Mr. Scriv- 

 ing's method of improving turnip, I shall not attempt to speak, 

 though I have no doubt of its being originally of the Swedish 

 family. 



