672 Introduction of the Sioedish Turnip. 



manure, form the best preparation of any thing I know for the 

 brassicas, or, in fact, for any crop whatever. 



I ought to have said that I run rope-yarn and stakes round 

 all my prime asparagus, as much fine asparagus is injured by 

 the winds in the growing season, rocked about, and broken ; the 

 consequence of which is, that the fine large buds are pushed 

 prematurely in the summer season, and twenty small heads 

 take their place. 



I have a mode of cultivating all my fruit-tree borders, with- 

 out ever digging above 6 in. deep ; but this I mean to say some- 

 thing about at a future period. 



Oidton Park, near Tarporley, Cheshire, Oct. 2. 1843. 



Art, VIII. T/ie History of the Introduction of the Swedish Tuniip 

 into Britain. By the Rev. Thomas Newcome, Rector of Shenley, 

 Hertfordshire. 



Our common friend, the Rev. J. Mitford, has recommended me 

 to commvmicate to you what I consider to be the true history of 

 the introduction of that valuable plant the Swedish turnip into 

 this island. 



It is now about fifty years since the late Sir David Kinloch 

 of Gilmerton, near Edinburgh, gave some of the seed to my 

 father, the Rev. Henry Newcome, Vicar of Gresford, Denbigh- 

 shire, and a near neighbour to Sir Forster Canliffe of Acton 

 Park, near Wrexham ; who married a daughter of Sir David 

 Kinloch. This latter baronet told my father that " a Swedish 

 nobleman had given the seed to him." I well remember my 

 father growing about half or three quarters of an acre of the 

 seed, and selling it to the late Mr. Mason of Fleet Street, an 

 eminent seedsman, for, I believe, the sum of 70/. ; and this was 

 the first seed sold in London. 



Now, if you know a more authentic account of the introduc- 

 tion of the Swede turnip, you will, of course, not take any 

 notice of, nor publish, this my account of the matter; but, 

 though writing from mere impression and memory, I believe 

 this is substantially the true one. 



I have often heard my father declare that " he was the first 

 to teach the people in North Wales to hoe their turnips ; " and 

 that he astonished the natives by ploughing up old furze, or 

 gorse, roots with a Hertfordshire wheeled plough, imported from 

 this parish to that of Gresford, near Chester. He was the first 

 who ploughed in that county with two horses abreast ; while, at 

 that day, all the farmers ploughed their light gravelly soil with 

 four horses at length ! 



Shenley, Herts, Sept. 4. 1843. 



