732 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



which has been cleared of Peas, 

 Potatoes, or such like. In spring 

 deep digging and plenty of manure 

 suit them well, but in sowing after 

 other crops, as suggested, manure is 

 not often wanted and the soil need 

 not be turned over ; a hoeing and 

 raking of the surface will suffice in 

 most cases. Drills should be drawn 

 not more than 2 in. deep, and i ft. 

 apart is a good distance in spring, 

 but 18 in. may be given to those 

 that have to stand the winter. Tur- 

 nip seed germinates freely ; it is 

 rarely bad, and therefore thin sowing 

 should be the rule. The young 

 plants soon appear above ground, 

 and in favourable weather they grow 

 so quickly that it is almost necessary 

 to begin thinning as soon as the 

 plants can be taken hold of, as 

 crowding has an injurious effect on 

 them at first. It is a good plan to 

 thin them all twice. At first they 

 should be thinned out to 6 in. apart, 

 and the second time every other one 

 should be removed, which will leave 

 the plants for the crop standing at 

 I ft. apart or thereabouts. 



Snails are sometimes trouble- 

 some ; they eat off the young plants, 

 but a slight dusting of lime or soot 

 generally prevents them from doing 

 much harm, and dressings of the 

 kind assist greatly in keeping away 

 the grub and insects that often 

 disfigure the roots. The Turnip- 

 fly, too, does not like coming in 

 contact with soot or lime; and a 

 slight dusting of one or the other, 

 or both of these, may be given to 

 the plants in a young state, whether 

 they are much in want of it or not. 

 At all times the surface of the soil 

 between the rows should be kept 

 open and free from weeds, and this 

 is best done by using the Dutch 

 hoe frequently. In hot, dry weather 

 Turnips soon become bitter and 

 stringy, and in this state they are 



far from good ; but by a little fore- 

 thought and attention no one need 

 ever be obliged to use such, as by 

 sowing small patches frequently a 

 constant supply of delicate roots may 

 be secured. When many of them 

 become ready for use together, part 

 of them may be taken up and stored 

 in a cool shed. They will keep 

 longer there than they would do in 

 the ground, but Turnips taken up 

 too soon lose part of their flavour ; 

 therefore they should always be 

 left in growing quarters as long as 

 possible. In winter some take up 

 their Turnips and store them away 

 like Beet or Carrots ; but nothmg 

 is gained by doing that, and it 

 should never be practised unless the 

 weather is unusually severe. The 

 Chirk Castle should never be 

 stored, except for convenience, as 

 it is rarely injured by frost ; but in 

 frosty or snowy weather it is some- 

 times difficult to get them out of the 

 ground. 



Turnips do not submit readily 

 to forcing. Frames are the only 

 places in which they can be treated 

 properly. They must not be forced 

 hard, as this causes them to run 

 to leaf and flower without forming 

 bulbs. The best way is to make up 

 a very gentle hot-bed in February 

 or March. Place a frame and some 

 rich soil on the top, and sow the 

 seed broadcast thinly. Give abun- 

 dance of air as soon as the young 

 plants can be seen, and never coddle 

 them up with coverings or maintain 

 a very close atmosphere unless the 

 weather really demands it. As the 

 plants increase in size, thin them 

 out to a few inches apart, and the 

 bulbs may be used as soon as they 

 are the size of cricket-balls ' A.s an 

 artificial m.anure for Turnips, no- 

 thing equals superphosphate. This 

 may be dug into the ground before 

 sowing, or it maybe sprinkled thinly 



