RURAL LIFE IN LITCHFIELD COUNTY 



colonies and probably came to New England with the 

 soldiers who were engaged In the South during the 

 Revolutionary War. At any rate, It was not widely 

 grown In Connecticut until after this period. Early In 

 the nineteenth century this crop became generally 

 known through New England and every family grew at 

 least what was wanted for home use. New land, well 

 stored with decaying organic matter, proved Ideal for 

 this crop, and such soils frequently gave yields of 300 

 to 400 bushels an acre. Everything connected with the 

 crop had to be done by hand labor. The usual method 

 of planting was In hills, and by hand hoeing a mound of 

 earth was piled around each hill about the time the 

 tubers began to form. This was thought necessary to 

 prevent the tubers from becoming exposed to the direct 

 sunlight when they became large. 



A much earlier crop than the potato was the turnip. 

 This crop was grown In England and In the north of 

 Europe long before the potato was cultivated In those 

 countries. In this country It was early found to be a 

 valuable feed for sheep. The coarse, dry fodders that 

 were used In winter afforded little nutriment for the 

 sheep and they often came through the winter gaunt 

 and flabby. In order to put the ewes In good condition 

 before the lambing season It was a common practice to 

 feed them turnips during the latter part of the winter 

 and In the early spring. Turnips were frequently sown 



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