1220 Swedes, Turnips, and Mangolds. [mar.. 



SWEDES, TURNIPS AND MANGOLDS 

 AT COCKLE PARK. 



D. A. Gilchrist, M.Sc, 

 Professor of Agriculture, Armstrong College. 



VARIETIES OF SWEDES AND TURNIPS: THEIR COMPARATIVE VALUES. 



The county of Northumberland has taken an important 

 place in the development of the culture of swedes and turnips 

 in the north of England. J. Bailey and George Culley, in their 

 work on the "Agriculture of Northumberland'' (3rd edition, 

 1808), give a good account of turnip cultivation in the county at 

 that time. They state that turnips were first grown for cattle 

 feeding at Rock, near Alnwick, about 1730, and that their 

 growth for this purpose quickly spread in the Lesbury district. 

 The hoeing of this crop was first performed by skilled men of 

 the gardening class, who received high wages, but the ordinary 

 farm hands, including women, soon became quite good at this 

 wofk. Craig of Arbigland, Dumfriesshire, drilled turnips in 

 1745, and in 1764 Dawson grew 100 acres drilled in ridges near 

 Kelso. Matthew and George Culley migrated from Gainford, 

 near DarHngton, to Fenton, in Glen dale, in 1767. George 

 Culley, on his way from Fenton to a fair at Kelso, in that year 

 first saw a field of drilled turnips, and was greatly impressed 

 with the successful growth of this crop. The brothers Culley 

 took Wark farm of 1,200 acres in 1786 at an annual rent of 

 £800. This they cultivated with such marked success that 

 as a result of their work and of increased prices the rent of this 

 farm was increased to £3,200 in 1812. They and other pioneers 

 developed the practice of drill husbandry in the cultivation of 

 turnips. The raised turnip drill soon became known. Drill- 

 ing was done much in the same manner as now, and the dung 

 was enclosed in the drills. At first the drills were made 3 ft. 

 wide, but it was soon found better to make them a width of 

 only 2 1 ft. or rather less. The practice now in the north is to 

 sow turnips on raised drills, about 27 in. wide. The cultivation 

 of turnips for sheep and cattle feeding quickly developed. 

 About ,1755-80 the Swedish turnip was introduced into 

 Scotland from Gothenburg, where they were known as " ruta 

 baga." The Culleys and others took up their cultivation It 

 is interesting to note that they are still called " bagies " on 

 Tweedside. By 1804 swedes were in general cultivation in 

 the north of Northumberland. George Culley made careful 



