38] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



The seeds are deposited over the manure on the crown of the ridge, 

 and covered in by short rollers following the delivery. Two rows 

 are thus drilled at a time by one horse. They can get on thus at 

 the rate of about an acre and a half per day, with four horses in 

 two teams to plough, one at the drill, and two or three at the dung 

 carts. The whole is immediately done on the fresh soil, by which 

 the vegetation of the seed is promoted, the dung covered up under 

 the seed, and a good crop generally insured. When dung is not 

 used in addition to the lime, the drill immediately follows without 

 turning back the furrows, and five horses do the whole business. 

 The cleaning is performed by a hoe plough between the rows, which 

 are further thinned and cleaned by women and children, no skill 

 being necessary. About ^glbs. of seed is drilled to an acre. ^1 



Sir John Wrottesley states^ that to form the ridges he uses m 

 double furrow plough with two horses, which turn a furrow either 

 way, and the muck is laid in every eighth row, which one person 

 spreads, and four women or boys follow, each distributing the dung- 

 in two furrows : two common ploughs follow with two horses in 

 each, to cover-in the dung, after which comes the roller and drill, 

 which being very light work, is best done by a hackney or blood 

 horse ; and that turnip sowing being at a busy season, with the above 

 strength and sufficient horses at the dung carts, according to the 

 distance the muck is drawn from, they generally finish four acres 

 per day. 



The Fly. The insect which most commonly attacks and destroys 

 turnips is of the beetle kind (chrysomela nemorum), wings two, 

 covered by two shells, skippers, hop or take-wing, length half a 

 line, or one-twenty-fourth of an inch: when much disturbed, it takes 

 wing, and is soon out of sight. To keep off this insect, it is recom- 

 mended to mix an ounce of flour of brimstone with every pound 

 weight of turnip-seed twenty-four hours before sowing : if this be 

 neglected, and the fly be discovered, immediately harrow with light 

 harrows, which will disturb or drive the fly : or if the fly continues, 

 sow eight bushels per acre of dry lime, or dry sifted fine ashes, 

 early in the morning, or in the evening, when the dew is on, that 

 it may adhere to the leaves. Hoeing in time, and repeatedly, is 

 said to disturb and drive the fly : it is asserted that where these 

 precautions have been used, no turnip crop has ever been destroyed 

 by the fly. The following method is said to have succeeded last 

 year, in preserving twelve acres of Swedish turnips. A board was 

 drawn over the field, having its upper surface fresh painted : on 



