128 GARDENING FOR YOUNG AND OLD. 



enterprise and labor; while the very next year, the sea- 

 son may be so unfavorable that the broadcast turnips are 

 almost a universal failure, and the good cultivator who 

 has a good crop, can sell turnips enough from an acre of 

 land to buy him a horse and buggy. Let us then aban- 

 don the idea of sowing turnips broadcast, except in rare 

 cases. 



CULTIVATION OF KUTA-BAGAS. 



Kuta-bagas, or Swede Turnips or as it would be better 

 to call them, Winter Turnips, should be sown about corn- 

 planting time, or from that until about the time we usu- 

 ally plant beans. I have myself had a good crop sown as 

 late as July 4th, but from the last of May to the middle 

 of June is the better time in this section. 



Jjand that will raise good corn will produce good tur- 

 nips, but ruta-bagas do better on a somewhat stiff loam 

 than on a light sandy one; they will do very well on 

 sandy soil provided you make it rich enough. On the 

 stiff soils, it is better to prepare the land the autumn pre- 

 vious. If the land has been in corn or potatoes, plow 

 it as soon as the crop is removed; the earlier the better; 

 harrow, roll, and pick up and draw off all stones large 

 enough to interfere with a cultivator. If the land is at 

 all weedy, plow or cultivate, and harrow and roll during 

 dry weather in autumn, until all the weeds are killed. 

 If the work has been well done, this thorough cultiva- 

 tion will start into growth millions of weed seeds. Be- 

 fore cold weather sets in, plow the land again, and leave 

 it rough for the winter. The frost will break up the 

 stiff lumps of clay, and the next spring they will readily 

 crumble to pieces, and produce the very best soil for ru- 

 ta-bagas. Do not plow the land in the spring until it 

 is quite dry; the surface may bake, but when you come 

 to plow it, you will find that the soil underneath will turn 

 up fine, mellow, and moist. 



