140 GARDENING FOE YOUNG AND OLD. 



however, when it can be done, and done to great advan- 

 tage. Land should be plowed immediately after harvest, 

 and the roller should follow the plow. You cannot roll 

 it too much while dry ; follow the roller a few days later 

 with a smoothing harrow, weighted until it will cut 

 through the dry clods, follow with a roller, so as to break 

 up or crush the clods brought to the surface by the har- 

 row, continue to roll and harrow, until you have secured 

 a fine tilth. If the weather reporter would send us some 

 rain, if nothing more than a thunder shower, we should 

 at this time accept it as a favor ; this thoroughly worked, 

 but dusty soil would drink it in, and we could immedi- 

 ately start the drill, feeling confident that in two or three 

 days the turnips would be up. 



Do not forget to sow superphosphate at the rate of 

 from two hundred to three hundred pounds per acre. If 

 the land is in good condition, and especially if it has been 

 manured for the previous crop, the superphosphate is all 

 that is necessary. It is better to sow the phosphate pre- 

 vious to rolling and harrowing, but it is not well, I think, 

 to plow it under. At this dry season of the year, it is 

 well to roll the land after drilling in the seed and to roll 

 it thoroughly. 



I would drill in the turnips in rows not less than two 

 feet apart, and drop at least four seeds to each inch of row, 

 or, say from three to four pounds per acre ; if the land 

 is in good condition, this thick seeding is almost certain, 

 with the aid of superphosphate, to enable the plants to 

 escape the ravages of the beetle. 



The cultivation is similar to that previously recom- 

 mended for ruta-bagas, except that we leave the plants 

 a little thicker in the row say seven inches apart. If 

 the plants are properly singled out to this distance and 

 the cultivator is used between the rows as often as is 

 necessary, nothing more will be required until the crop 

 is ready to be pulled. 



