TURNIPS. 2^9 



ploughed up before the middle of December, at the laleft, Prefcrvation of 



to fecure the fucceedlng corn crop, and graces, or clovers, ^"^"'ps through 



the wintsr. 

 with either of which every field that carried a turnip crop 



the preceding feafon, (lioald, in almoft every cafe, be fown 

 down ; and imprefled with the many high advantages at- 

 tending this praclice, as foon as my pea and bean ftubbles 

 arc ploughed up, and fown with wheat, my turnips are be- 

 gun to be drawn, and flacked up for ufe during the following 

 winter and fpring. If the diftahce of the turnip-field from 

 the homeftead does not exceed a quarter of a mile, two double 

 horfe carts only are employed, and more in proportion to the 

 diftance of the turnip field, or number of hands you may be 

 able to command to carry on the work. One clever driver 

 is fufficient for two carts, and two for three carts, &c. one 

 cart being always in the field loading or loaded. On being 

 brought home, the turnips are inftantly tumbled out at the 

 fiack ; which is done with great facility, from the conftruc- 

 tion of the carts in this diftridt, which to convenience and 

 ftrength likewife add lightnefs, to enable horfes to move at 

 a fraart pace with them when empty. The turnips tumbled 

 ©ut of the cart, are trimmed of their leaves, and cleaned 

 of any earth that may adhere to them, by women, &c. be- 

 fore being put into the ftack. Old table-knives do very well 

 for the purpofe, and the leaves fliould be cut off clofe to (he 

 root ; the back of the knife being ufed for removing any pieces 

 of foil that may ftick on the turnip. 



Women, &c. trim the turnips, and put them into ftrong 

 coarfe wicker bafkets, to be carried forward by a man, who 

 hands them to another, who lays them into or on the Rack. 

 The ground on which the turnips are placed ought to be dry 

 bottomed. If that is not the fort of foil where you find it 

 moft convenient to make your flack, a quantity of boulders 

 may be put on, regularly fpread over the fpace, to the thick- 

 refs of at leaft eighteen inches. My corn-rick yard, being 

 dry ground, has been ufed as the place for keeping my tur- 

 nips in. The ftacks have been made about ten feet wide, 

 by driving a row of flakes into the ground parallel to the 

 wall of the yard, which ferves inftead of another row. The 

 wall is only about five feet and a half high, and the flakes 

 are driven to the fame height. The infide ©f the wall and 

 (lakes are lined with compa6l buDches, or (heaves of wheat- 



Vol. XIII.— March, 1806. U flraw, 



