312 



The meadow 



(^Alopecums prafejtsisj 



not arrive at perfection so soon as many other grasses. The seed is also often def t" 



F 



Woldridge, in his Mjstery of Husbandry, &c. printed in 1681, (my copy I believe to be a second edit* 



ridge wrote in 1668), says, that '^^ although Turnips be usually nourished in gardens, and be properly a o- ^ ^ 



to**^^cn. piftntj vet 3.rp 

 they, to the very great advantage of the Husbandman, sown in his fields in several places of England nnt ^ i r 



° ' ""*y tor culmary uses, 

 as about London and other great cities, but also for the food of cattle." Again he says, that '' in Holla r! fii • 



Turnips with the tops, and Rape-seed cakes, and grains, &c. and therewith make mashes for the mwo j • 



uuws, ana give it them 



warm, which the cows eat like hogs." He likewise complains of the " very great neglect and deficiency of F r i, i, 



^ ^^ i^ngiish husbandry 



m this particular. "^ 



Lord Viscount Townshend appears to have the merit of occasioning their culture to be carried to a great extent i P 1 ri 



His Lordship was Embassador to the States-General in 1709, and afterwards retired to Rainham in Norfnlk . in , i,- i, 



i j.-»vnuift. , 111 wnicn county 



the culture of Turnips has been brought to the highest state of perfection by Mr. Coke. In most counties in Scotland thecal 

 ture of Turnips has also arrived at a great height, and appears to be more general than in many parts of England. Sir John 

 Sinclair* informs us, that the seod of the Swedish Turnip was first introduced into Scotland in 1781-2, on the recommendation 

 of Mr. Knox, a native of East Lothian, who had settled at Gallowburgh, whence he sent some of the seeds to Dr Hamilt 



The culture of the common Field Turnip is most advantageous on lighter sandy soils; it enables the Farmer to adopt a 

 profitable rotation of crops on such soils as would not otherwise admit of it, nor support live stock during the winter, much less 

 prepare them ready for market, without great expense in the use of hay. The Swedish Turnip, or Ruta Baga, is 'equally va- 

 luable for heavy soils that are not well fitted for the common Field Turnip. 



Manure is essential in the culture of the Turnip, which, like all tuberous or bulbous roots that require it, thrives better with 

 short than long dung. There is no mode of applying it so effectually as that of burying it in the ridges made for the purpose of 

 the drills; because the dung in this case becomes as it were a hot-bed for the young plants, encouraging their growth in a high, 

 degree, which is of great effect in defeating the attacks of the turnip-fly. The Swedish Turnip is a great acquisition to the 

 Husbandman, for tenacious soils. It is seldom injured by frost, and though less productive in the average weight of crop, 

 contains much more nutritive matter than the Common Turnip, as much as 3 to 2. When sown hroad-cast the produce is seldom' 

 more than half the weight of that drilled on ridges, though on the same soil. 



The nutritive powers of the different varieties of Turnips appear to be as follows : 



64 dr. of the Swedish Turnip, or Ruta Baga, afford of nutritive matter 

 64 dr. of the Stone, or Garden Turnip, ditto ditto 

 64 dr. of the Common, or White Loaf, ditto ditto 

 64 dr. of the Tankard, or Long rooted, ditto ditto 

 64dr. of the Norfolk White Turnip, ditto ditto 



■m 



The quantity of nutritive matter contained in different roots of the same variety, varies according to the size and texture of their 



110 grains, 



85 



80 

 76 



83 



substance. 



A root of the White Loaf variety, measuring seven inches in diameter, afforded only seventy-two grains and a half, 

 while the same quantity of a root which measured only four inches, afforded eighty grains. The middle-sized roots of the Com- 

 mon Turnip are therefore the most nutritious; as on the contrary, are the largest roots of the Swedish Turnip, affording 110 

 grains, while the middle-sized and smaller roots afforded only 99. 



100 grains of the nutritive matter of White Turnips appeared to consist of mucilage 16, sugar 82; albumen or gluten 



2 



100 grains. 



2. Cabbages, ( Srassica oleracea, varj, are of great value under the circumstance of a tenacious heavy soil, where the turnip 

 culture cannot be practised with advantage. They require to be raised from seed sown in beds of earth in autumn or spring, and 

 transplanted into the field towards the end of May, or beginning of June at farthest; and will be ready for use in October. It 

 IS essential that the seed-beds have good shelter, but at the same time free exposure to the sun, morning, raid-day, and noon. 

 The soil a rich friable loam. One pound of seed, if properly treated, will produce 24,000 plants, and 8000 plants are considered 

 sufficient for an acre of land. For the purposes of the Dairy, one acre of Cabbages is considered worth three of Turnips. ^ There 



has been some difference of opinion with respect to their effects on the quality of the milk and butter; but they are evidently 

 superior to Turnips as long as they keep fresh ; one or two decaying leaves upon a head, however, are sufficient to give both milk 

 and butter a strong disagreeable taste. This I have long had an opportunity of proving. 



. The varieties of the Cabbage are numerous. Those best fitted for field-culture are the Drum-headed Cabbage, Red-veined, 

 the Scotch, or Yorkshire, and the American. The most productive of these are the Drum-headed and American, but the Red- 



* Account of the Systems of Husbandry iu Scotland, &c. by Sir John Sinclair, Bart. Founder of the Board of Agriculture. 



