RUTA BAGA. 



fierent methods are pra&ifed in raifing thefe kinds of crops ; 

 fometimes,inltead of (owing the feed over the land ineitherthe 

 broafl-cafl or drill manner, it is fown upon nurfery beds of 

 good rich earth, and after the plants are fufficiently ad- 

 vanced, as where they are about the fize of fmall cabbage- 

 plants, they are tranlplanted into the field, and fet out on 

 raifed drills, at the diitance of eight or nine inches or more 

 from each other, and a foot or more in the rows. The buli- 

 nefs of tranfplanting fliould, if pofTible, be performed 

 when the weather is in a moiil ftate. And this may per- 

 haps be the bell mode of executing the work where fuch 

 crops are cultivated only to a fmall extent ; but where they 

 are grown upon a more extenfive fcale, the former are pro- 

 bably to be preferred, as being more expeditious and conve- 

 nient, as well as more certain of affording a fufficient plant 

 for a full crop. From the danger of thefe crops being de- 

 ftroyed by the ravages of the fly, it has been fuggeited by 

 Mr. Young, that the belt culture of this plant is to fow it 

 where it is to remain, broad-calt, from the ioth of May 

 to the end of the month ; and of all others, the bell 

 preparation to fecure a crop is that of paring and burning , 

 for the fly being the grand enemy, from its coming fo very 

 flowly to the hoe, this operation not only proves by far the 

 bell prefervative againfl that enemy, but alfo pufhes the 

 plants on in an accelerated vegetation, and thereby doubly 

 fecures the crop. If the feed cannot be thus put in on land 

 fo prepared, the next bell management is, to low it after 

 common turnips fed on the land by fheep. If neither me- 

 thod fuits, it muft be put in on well pulverized foil, very 

 amply manured. 



On a well cultivated farm near Hampilead, in the county 

 of Middlefex, the method of culture and expences attending 

 it were thefe. 



Expences of Cultivation of an Acre of Land. 



£ s. d. 



Three ploughings, at i&r. - - I 10 o 



Three harrowings, at 5/. - - - o 1 J o 



Cleaning by hand-picking - - 0100 



Making up drills - - - - 050 

 Dung and labour of putting it in, half only 7 



allowed to this crop - - - J 



Covering it up in drills - - - o c o 



Seed 2lb. - - . . 076 



Drilling in ditto - - - - 010 



Horfe-hoeing twice - - - o 1 8 



Hand-hoeing twice - - - o 12 o 



Moulding up rows - - - 010 



6 18 2 



fefted by the fame caufes as thofe of the common turnip, the 

 fly efpecially, being equally, if not more prejudicial to 

 thefe crops than thofe of the common turnip kind. And 

 befides, they are apt to be greatly injured or detlroyed by 

 rabbits, hares, and different forts of birds, both in their 

 tops and roots. 



It may be noticed, that there is much difference in the 

 ilatements iu regard to the amount of the produce in this 

 fort of crop ; but when it is put in at a fufficient early pe- 

 riod, and the ground prepared and managed in the manner 

 that has been Hated above, it will probably in general equal, 

 if not furpafs, that of the common turnip. And when it is 

 confidered that the flefh of the roots is much more folid and 

 compact, and abounds more with nutritious matter, the real 

 quantity of food which they afford muft probably be much 

 greater. In the trials of the above cultivator, they are 

 found to go one third further in the fattening of cattle or 

 other animals, than the common turnip. And the Rev. 

 Mr. Clofe, in the ninth volume of the Bath papers, has re- 

 corded an experiment in the tranlplanted method upon ridges 

 of the fame dimenfions as thofe uled for the common turnip, 

 and the produce was found, after they had fuflained the frofts, 

 in the month of March, without either tops or tails, and 

 when perfectly free from dirt, to be thirty-two tons on the 

 acre. Mr. Daiken has ftated in the Nottinghamshire Report, 

 their advantage in the feeding of horfes for a few acres to 

 have been as high as thirty pounds the acre. And in the 

 experiments of others, as detailed in the Agricultural Re- 

 port of the North Riding of Yorkfiiire, they have likewife 

 been found in common heavier than thofe of common tur- 

 nips, though in appearance, from the clofenefs of their tex- 

 ture, they did not feem to equal them. This is, however, 

 only conjecture, and is quite at variance with what has been 

 the refult in other cafes, where actual weighing and mea- 

 furing have been had recourfe to. In common foils, and 

 the ordinary modes of cultivation and application of thele 

 crops, the quantity of produce on the acre mult probably 

 be rated coHfiderably lower, as well as their value as food 

 for live-flock. 



On actually weighing a fquare perch of each of thefe 

 different forts of turnip crops in the month of November, 

 in 1808, which were grown together in the fame field, 

 on the very fame kind of land, at Quarmer Park, near 

 Lancafler, under the excellent management of Charles Gib- 

 fon, cfq. the refpective weights were found to Hand thus : 



Cwt . 4™. lbs. 

 Common turnip - - - - -42 10 



Ruta baga, or Swedifh turnip - - -427 



Difference o o * 



And in this mode the crop was very good, being capable 

 of being fold in 1806 at \2l.per acre ; the turnips averaging 

 about five pounds weight each, and a large portion rifing as 

 high as twelve. The crop was put in upon land that had 

 prcvioufly borne -winter tares. And under this management 

 the cidtivator has no doubt of raifing Hill larger crops. 



/tfter-culture. — It is evident, that in the after-culture of 

 this plant, from its advancing more (lowly to the hoe, that 

 it muft require greater attention to keep it clean and free 

 from weeds than that of the common turnip. The bufinefs 

 of hoeing, both in the horfe and hand methods, mull there- 

 fore be more diligently practifed, repeating the operations 

 as often as may be fufficient for the purpofe, keeping the 

 mould conltantly well broken down, and applied to the 

 roots of the plants. 



And the plants of the Swedifh turnip are liable to be af- 



Which is a very trifling fuperiority in favour of the former ; 

 and on account of the earlincfs of the feafon for the growth 

 of the latter, they would in all probability foon exceed it, 

 as they are well known to increafe in fize and weight to a 

 confiderable later period. 



It may be Hated, that this fort of crop has been found of 

 vaft ufe in the fupport of Iheep and other forts »>f live-Hock, 

 in the more late winter and early vernal months, where the 

 common turnip is liable to become rotten ; or run up to 

 feed : as being much morecafily prelerved in a found condi- 

 tion, from its greater power of refilling the effects of the 

 feafon, even when taken up, as well as while in the ground. 

 In fome fituations, in very fevere fcafons, it is however 

 fomctimes a little injured, when left in the ground through 

 the winter. Mr. Clofe has however found, that by having 

 the topa and tails removed when they firft begin to (hoot, and 



being 



