270 THE TURNIP CROP. 



opinion of all as a most valuable and important addition 

 to the productive resources of a farm. About this period, 

 1775-80, the Swedish turnip was introduced into Scotland, 

 some seed having been sent over from Gottenberg, from 

 which sprung the different varieties of Swedes we now cul- 

 tivate, and probably, also, at a later period, the yellow and 

 hybrid varieties, the produce of a cross between the original 

 white turnip and the newly-introduced Swede. Brown, in 

 his Treatise on Rural Affairs, observes "that the introduc- 

 tion of the improved turnip culture into the husbandry of 

 Great Britain occasioned one of those revolutions in the 

 rural art which are so constantly occurring among hus- 

 bandmen. Before the introduction of this root it was not 

 possible to cultivate light soils successfully, or to devise 

 suitable rotations for cropping them with advantage. It 

 was, likewise, a difficult task to support live stock through 

 the winter and spring months; and as for feeding, and 

 preparing cattle or sheep for market during these inclement 

 seasons, the practice was hardly thought of, and still more 

 rarely attempted, unless where a full stock of hay was 

 provided, which only happened in very few instances. The 

 benefits derived from it are of very great magnitude. 

 Light soils, before useless, are now cultivated with facility 

 and profit ; abundance of food is provided for man and 

 beast; the earth is turned to the uses for which it is 

 physically calculated ; and, by being suitably cleaned with 

 this preparatory crop, a bed is provided for grass and 

 other seeds, wherein they flourish and prosper with greater 

 vigour than after any other preparation." 



Since these times we have taken a great step in the 

 mechanical treatment of the soil. Formerly, turnip culti- 

 vation was confined to one particular class of soils those 

 of a light, sandy character ; but now thanks to our sys- 

 tem of thorough- draining, and to our various mechanical 

 aids in pulverizing the soil there are but few soils in the 



