TURNIPS. 117 



rows. The seed should be liberally strewn, in order 

 that if part ot^ the plants be destroyed by the files, 

 enough may still remain. 



Turnips are raised very successfully, by ploughing in 

 the stubble on rich land, harrowing the ground lightly, 

 and sowing two pounds of seed to the acre. When the 

 plants are above ground, give them a light covering of, 

 ashes, When they are four inches high, run a furrow 

 with a horse plough through the field, and return with 

 another, at the distance of three feet from the former, 

 in this way the whole can be ploughed into rows, thin- 

 ned and hoed in a proper manner. The plants turned 

 under, furnish considerable manure. 



Another method is, to plough in the. richest stubble 

 fields immediately after Imrvest, dress the ground with 

 plaster, live or leached ashes, or compost manure, and 

 harrow in the seed. 



When the ground is folded for raising turnips, instead 

 of sowing this crop the first year, let it be frequently 

 ploughed; in order to kill all the weeds, and sown early 

 with flax the next sprin<r, and then with turnips, after 

 the flax is taken ofl". Great crops of flax may in this 

 manner be raised. 



As turnips are thought by some to be an exhausting 

 crop, it is necessary to apply considerable manure, or 

 to feed a part of the crop upon the ground, to prevent 

 the soil from being injured. Where sheep are a part of 

 the stock of fatting cattle, a quantity sufficient for them 

 may be left in the ground. Thus, if they are to con- 

 sume a fourth part of the whole crop, leave every 

 fourth row, and by this means their manure will be more 

 equally distributed. 



Those that are not fed on the ground, must be har- 

 vested (in New England) about the end of October, or 

 even earlier in some places. Those that are intended, 

 for early feeding, may be topped, and preserved from 

 frost some time in the barn, covered with litter. Such 

 as are intended to be kept till spring, should be covered 

 with potatoes, or dry sand, to prevent them from being 

 pithy. ' ». 



Common white turnips require to be fed out before 

 they grow spongy. The most excellent mutton is fatted 

 on turnips, and they are a good food for horned cattle. 

 *11 



