300 THE TUKNIP CROP. 



its good or bad qualities placed in the soil, beyond the 

 range of our senses, and under conditions affected by too 

 many influences to admit of anything more than guess- 

 work as to the causes of failure or successful growth. Any 

 blanks that may occur in the drills should be filled up by 

 the same plants raised in a separate seed-bed and carefully 

 transplanted, or with cabbage plants obtained from the 

 same source. 



The chances of injury to the young plant from insect 

 attacks, are greatly diminished by our improved system 

 of cultivation, which secures a finely-divided seed-bed, and 

 a supply of food in a state fit for assimilation by the 

 young plant, directly it has thrown oat its rootlets, and 

 advanced its first pair of (cotyledon) leaves to the surface 

 of the soil. Here its most dreaded enemy, " the fly/' is 

 watching for its appearance, and commences an attack 

 which lasts until the plant throws out the second pair of 

 leaves, when the attack diminishes, while the plant at the 

 same time has become stronger and better able to with- 

 stand its effects. Therefore, the quicker we can induce the 

 growth at this period, the less time the insect has for its 

 attack, and the less the chance of injury from it. This has 

 led to improved methods of sowing. Now it is the com- 

 mon practice in all well- farmed districts, to sow manure 

 with the turnip seed from the same machine ("manure and 

 seed drill"), the manure coulters preceding the seed coul- 

 ters and depositing the manure at a certain depth, over 

 which the finely-divided soil falls in a thin layer ready to 

 receive the seed which is supplied by the following coul- 

 ters, the roller travelling behind and closing up the drills 

 in the usual manner. On the flat, the ordinary drill of 

 the farm, with the manure box and delivery attached, may 

 be used. On the ridge, it is necessary to have a separate 

 machine for the purpose, which generally takes two drills 

 at a time, and having small curved rollers attached, 



