336 CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



pounds of seed per acre are required; this is drilled, the 

 seed being previously mixed with some moist sand or finely 

 pulverised soil to prevent the seeds which are exceedingly 

 light being blown away during the process of drilling. 

 Care must be taken to have the seed new ; the Altrincham 

 variety is a favourite one; other varieties are the Belgian 

 (white and red), the long red and the " Horn " or short 

 red. The period for sowing is the beginning or middle of 

 March, according to the season. The distance between 

 the drills should be from 15 to 18 inches; the plants 

 being thinned out to distances of from 6 to 9 inches. 

 The root is usually made to follow wheat or some other 

 straw crop. 



143. (b.) Parsnips. These roots are becoming more 

 used for farm feeding purposes, cows being fond of 

 them; too much should not, however, be given them, for 

 the reason stated while treating of the carrot crop. The 

 order to which the parsnip belongs is the the same as 

 the carrot, the species being Pastinaca sativa : the varieties 

 chiefly cultivated being the " Jersey " and the " common 

 long-rooted carrot." The cultivation of the parsnip is the 

 same as that of the carrot. 



144. The Cabbage "Crop. This is one of the crops which 

 are cultivated for forage or feeding purposes, the leaves of 

 which are the principal feeding portion ; it is every year 

 becoming of greater importance, especialty for the feeding 

 of cows, for which it is specially valuable. The order is 

 the "cruciferse," the genus "brassica," and the species 

 " brassica oleracea." The usual variety sown in the farm 

 being the drum head or " cow cabbage ; " the Jersey or tree 

 cabbage is, however, fast getting into repute, as it yields 

 a large amount of feeding material. A rich, well-prepared 

 and manured loam is the best adapted for the crop, but it 

 may be grown successfully on almost any soil if it is well 

 stirred and highly manured; the crop being specially a 

 gross feeder, salt should never be omitted in the manure, 

 nor ashes if obtainable. The following on the culture of 

 the crop is from the pen of a successful grower in a ine- 



