106 COOL SEASON CROPS 



use. The spring crop is sold by the bunch, the fall crop by the 

 bushel. The spring crop is often sown in drills and cultivated; 

 the fall crop is usually sown broadcast and not cultivated. 



In order to grow a satisfactory crop of spring turnips it is 

 essential that the seed be sown extremely early. Unless this is 

 done the crop is likely to be overtaken by hot weather and become 

 tough and bitter. The development of the roots is hastened by 

 an abundance of moisture. Therefore tillage is advisable. The 

 soil should also be rich to promote rapid growth. If the soil is 

 rich enough to grow the roots rapidly, the foliage is likely to be 

 rank. Therefore the rows should be at least eighteen inches 

 apart. For the spring crop the plants are usually thinned. Some- 

 times the thinnings are used for greens. Root maggots are likely 

 to be bad in the spring crop if radishes or turnips have previously 

 been grown upon the same ground. In extreme cases they may 

 ruin the crop. Therefore rotation should be practiced. 



Fig. 58. — A winter radish. 



The fall crop is more easily grown than the spring crop if the 

 temperature is sufficiently mild. It thrives better in northern 

 than in southern localities. The usual practice is to plow and 

 thoroughly prepare a piece of land from which an earlier crop has 

 been removed, sow the seed broadcast and harrow it in. This is 

 done from July 20 to August 20, depending upon the latitude. No 

 further attention is given the crop until time for the harvest. 

 Fall turnips thus constitute an incidental crop requiring very 

 liUle labor in its production. The chief item of expense is the 

 harvesting, for the roots must be pulled and topped by hand. 

 This is done just before the ground freezes in autumn. 



Kohlrabi. — Although not strictly a root crop, kohlrabi cor- 

 responds so closely to the spring crop of turnips in its cultural 

 requirements that it is treated in this connection. The seed should 

 be sown in drills about a foot apart as early as the ground can be 



