AND RURAL ECONOMIST. 265 



As soon as the plants were of sufficient size, a drill-harrow, 

 with small shares fixed to it, to cut off all the weeds, was 

 passed through the rows; and the plants thinned with a 

 small weeding hoe to the distance of about eight inches 

 apart, and the vacant places filled up by transplanting from 

 the supernumerary plants. They were once more harrowed 

 and cleaned, which was a very small labor; and owing to 

 the very unpropitious weather, were not harvested until very 

 late. Some of them were very large ; one weighed fifteen 

 pounds, and many were nearly as large. The exact expense 

 of cultivating the acre cannot be estimated, as it was inter- 

 mixed with other farm work ; but the whole, from the sow- 

 ing to the gathering, was not two-thirds of the labor usually 

 bestowed on planting, cultivating, and gathering an acre of 

 potatoes. 



My Swedish turnips the last year, of which I raised con- 

 siderable quantities, were fed off to my oxen, dry cows, 

 young stock, and fatting sheep. To the cattle they were of 

 very great advantage ; and for feeding sheep, they proved 

 the last year, by an accurate account, worth from ten to 

 twelve and half cents per bushel. The man who has the 

 care of my stock considers them as among the most profita- 

 ble feed which can be given either to fatting or to store 

 cattle. Three years' experiment has increased their value 

 very much for these purposes in ray own estimation. 

 I am, gentlemen, very respectfully yours, 



Henry Colman. 



A correspondent in the New England Farmer, vol. xi. p. 

 277, writes thus : 



' A wish to have others profit by my experience has in- 

 duced me to send you, Mr. Editor, half a sheet of remarks 

 on the culture of the ruta baga as a food for domestic ani- 

 mals. I have cultivated from half an acre to three acres of 

 this root every year for thirteen years in succession, and feel 

 competent to give rules for its culture, and confidence in re- 

 commending it as a valuable and profitable crop. 



' The soil must be rich and dry ; and the more it inclines 

 to a sand loam the better. Clay is the worst, and wet soils 

 will not answer at all. 



' Preparations. My general practice has been, to manure 

 well a piece of pasture, or clover ley, from which the hay 

 has first been cut, plough it handsomely over, and harrow it 

 well. 



' Sowing, ^c. I sow in rows, at two and a half or three 

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