of its girth.'* I have often been somewhat incredulous 

 as to some of the reported weights per acre of Swedish 

 turnips ; for having been for some years past in a 

 sweepstakes with Lord Spencer, I consider, from the 

 weights we have produced, five and twenty tons per 

 acre a good crop for regular tillage land that has, the 

 previous year, borne a crop of white grain. Around Man- 

 chester, where they can obtain such immense quantities of 

 good manure, and have, during the summer, three times 

 the quantity of rain that we have in this county, they can 

 produce a greater weight per acre of Swedish turnips than 

 we can ; for turnips cannot have too much rain. I recom- 

 mend that land intended for turnips (but think it not so 

 necessary for corn), should be ploughed up at the begin- 

 ning of winter ; and, if it is free from couch, and intended 

 for Swedes, a small quantity of dung ploughed in (not too 

 deeply), will produce good effects, by causing the infant 

 plant to grow stronger and quicker, and therefore sooner 

 free from the attacks of the fly. 



After numberless trials to prevent the ravages of the 

 turnip fly, the only way which I found at all successful 

 is, to collect all the weeds I can on the farm, and lay 

 them in heaps all round the field sown with turnips ; on the 

 plants coming up, and showing the least appearance of 

 being attacked by the fly, the heaps to windward are set on 

 fire, brimstone is put in the fire, and thus the strong smoke, 

 which is very offensive to the insect, is wafted over the crop. 

 If this is continued till the turnips get into rough leaf, they 

 will be safe ; but if before this the process is stopped for 

 five or six hours together, in a fly working day, the crop 

 most likely will be lost ; therefore 1 have not scrupled on a 

 Sunday to have the fires lighted before the morning, and 

 also before the afternoon service. When, some years ago, 



* With Northumberland ridges a certain degree of fallowing is carried on 

 during the growth ot the turnips. As to a broad-cast crop of Swedes, I 

 think that quite out of the question with a good system of farming. Three 

 pounds of seed per acre is my usual quantity. Swede turnips will keep 

 stacked in the field very well, in not too large heaps; and 1 think it a Rood 

 plan to have a reserve of unfrozen turnips there, tor sheep, in a hard frost. 

 They will keep through a long frost by being placed in rows close to each 

 other, with the roots cut oil, the tops thus tunning a pretty secure covering. 



