60 CONTINUOUS CROPPING 



CHEAP WINTER FOOD 



The fact that the tilling of winter-green crops can be 

 accomplished with quick-working tools is of the 

 greatest practical and economic importance. Last year 

 the writer ascertained that the cost of tilling and 

 completely preparing a 9-acre field for a crop of winter 

 greens was only 13s. 6d. per acre ; horse and manual 

 labour being charged at the rate of 33. per day. 



This means that the complete cultivation of the crop 

 is no more than the singling and weeding of a root crop, 

 which these winter greens are intended largely to 

 replace. 



A smallholder who, unfortunately, is not a member 

 of a co-operative implement society must perforce use 

 the ordinary plough and harrow for the cultivation of 

 the winter-green crops. In this case, however, the 

 same principle of quick cultivation must be followed 

 in order to conserve the soil moisture. 



It is advisable, under the latter circumstances, to 

 harvest the preceding crop of tares, and cultivate the 

 land in sections so as to have as short a time as 

 possible between taking out one crop and putting in 

 the next. 



THE SOWING OF " WINTER GREENS " 



We now come to the sowing of the winter greens, 

 the cultivation for all the different varieties of which, 

 after tares, is practically the same. First of all, before 

 giving details of sowing and manuring, it is necessary 

 to deal with the different characteristics of each crop. 



MARROW-STEM KALE 



Marrow-stem kale, a crop of recent introduction, is 

 a hybrid between kohl-rabi and kale ; but instead of 

 growing like the former a bulb, it grows a thick fleshy 



