On the Best Mode of Storiruj Tarniiis^ 



227 



no doubt engaged the attention of tlie farmer in most counties, 

 therefore it cannot be doubted but tliat there are many plans in 

 operation for the purpose of effecting- so desirable an object. 

 Like many others, I was induced to try the experiment ; and 

 by repeated trials have succeeded in effecting it in a useful 

 and economical manner. At fust, by way of trial, the produce 

 of a small field was taken up in November and carefully carted 

 from the field to the farm-yard, and there placed in a spare 

 house, which appeared to be well adapted for the purpose ; all 

 light was excluded, and as much air as possible. In the March 

 following I commenced using the turnips, and found that on the 

 top part of the pile they had vegetated about 3 or 4 inches in 

 length, but towards the central part of the heap the shoot was 

 much longer and more delicate and slender, owing, as I conjec- 

 tured, to the small space through which it had to make its way 

 between the turnijis to the surface of the pile : on arriving at the 

 bottom I found that they had not vegetated, indeed, bat that, 

 through the confined state of the air, the greater part were de- 

 cayed and of no use whatever as food for cattle. The following 

 year a different method w as adopted, which, having been practised 

 by a neighbour with success, held forth prospects of a different 

 nature from those of the preceding year. The turnips were taken 

 up as before in the month of November, and were carted to the 

 rick-yard or mowhay, and emptied out on the surface of the 

 ground and formed into a pile about 7 feet wide at the base, and 

 terminating with a sharp top, resembling a triangle standing on 

 its base : the piles were made of such length as the place admitted, 

 and were covered with straw about 4 inches thick, and secured 

 by ropes placed longitudinally, with others across, intersecting 

 each other at right angles, and fastened to pins of wood driven 

 into the ground. In the March and April following they were 

 opened, and the turnips were in a tolerably perfect state; vegetation 

 had not made such rapid progress as in the former year, and 

 comparatively but few were decayed. Although this plan ])roved 

 far superior to that of housing, yet the expense and labour of 

 thatching proved too great, and on small farm^s, where thatched 

 buildings are still unfortunately standing, the straw alone would 

 be an object of serious consideration. The idea occurred to me 

 that, by making the piles much higher on the same base, having 

 their sides supported by stakes driven into the ground, a much 

 larger quantity could be secured on the same piece of ground and 

 with the same quantity of covering. Having in one part of the 

 rick-yard the back of a garden-wall, which would answer the pur- 

 pose of one side, a line of stakes was driven into the ground 

 parallel with the wall, and about 4 feet from it, and 3 feet high 

 above the surface of the ground ; the stakes were woven together 



