Chap. II. RUTA BAGA CULTURE. 105 



the same as for the sowing on ridges. But, there 

 might, in this case, be one more previous ploughing, 

 always taking care to plough in dry zvedther^ which 

 is an observation I ought to have made before. 



98. But, why should not the plants, in this case, 

 succeed some other good crop, as mentioned before ? 

 1 sowed some early peas (brought from England) 

 on the 2d of June. 1 harvested them, quite ripe 

 and hard, on the 31st of July ; and 1 had very fine 

 Kuta Baga, some weighing six pounds each, after 

 the peas. How little is known of the powers of 

 this soil and climate ! My Potatoes were of the 

 kidney sort, which, as every one knows, is not an 

 early sort. They were planted on the 2d of June ; 

 and they were succeeded by a most abundant crop 

 of Ruta Baga. And, the manure for the peas and 

 potatoes served for the Ruta Baga also. In sur- 

 veying my crops and feeling grateful to the kind 

 earth and the glorious sun that produce these, to 

 me, most delightful objects, how often have 1 turn- 

 ed, with an aching heart, towards the ill-treated 

 Englishmen, shut up in dungeons by remorseless 

 tyrants, while not a word had been uttered in their 

 defence by, and while they were receiving not one 

 cheering visit or comforting word from, Sir Fran- 

 cis BuRDETT, who had been the great immediate 

 cause of their incarceration ! 



99. As to the quantity and sort of inanure to be 

 used in general, it may be the same as for a sowing 

 of Rye, or of Wheat. I should prefer ashes ; but, 

 ray large crops in England were on yard-dung, tirst 

 thrown into a heap, aiid afterwards turned once or 

 twice, in the usual manner as practised in England. 

 At Hyde Park I had nothing but Takings up about 

 the yard, barn, k.c. as described before. What I 

 should do, and what I shall do this year, is, to make 

 ashes out of dirt, or earth, of any sort, not very 

 stony. Nothing is so eas}^ as this, especially in this 

 fine climate. 1 see people go with their wagons 



