228 



On the Best Mode of Storing Turnips. 



with twigs of wood and furze, and between them and the wall the 

 turnips were placed to the height of the stakes in front, and so 

 much higher against the wall as to admit of being covered in a 

 lean-to position; they were thatched with straw about 4 inches 

 thick, and secured by ropes of the same material, which were 

 fastened by spears, whose points were thrust into the turnips. 

 On opening them in the spring those nearest the stakes had 

 pushed forth a little short shoot of a greenish colour ; further in 

 the shoot was more bleached and still longer ; whilst close to the 

 wall the shoot was still longer and more slender ; at the bottom 

 nearest the w^all, at the greatest depth from the surface, where no 

 air could circulate, a large quantity came out quite rotten. 



Having now^ ascertained that it mattered not how high the piles 

 might be made, so long as they admitted a free circulation of air, 

 and that the saving in reed by this method would be considerable, 

 I considered that by a little improvement the plan would ulti- 

 mately prove of great advantage over any other mode of storing. 

 Accordingly, the following year a piece of ground was selected 

 for the purpose, and two lines of stakes were driven into the 

 ground about 2J feet high above the surface and 6 feet apart in 

 the rows : the stakes were wattled as before on both sides and 

 at one end, the other end being left open for the purpose of 

 backing the carts to empty the turnips into their proper position ; 

 the space between the two rows of stakes was thus filled up, and 

 the top sharpened up, in the same manner as before described. 

 Close alongside another enclosure was made, leaving only room 

 to pass between them, and as many more as were required. To 

 prevent the water that falls from the roof from running under the 

 piles, drains were cut between each, which effectually carried it 

 off. As usual in the following spring they were opened for use, 

 when tlie turnips w^ere in a more perfect state than any stored in 

 the manner before described; vegetation had made but little pro- 

 gress, the length of the shoot was not near so long as from those 

 in the pile made against the garden-wall, and scarcely any rotten 

 turnips were found ; indeed the expectations which were formed 

 were more than satisfactorily realised. This mode has been con- 

 tinued ever since, and continues to prove equally successful ; its 

 advantages over any other are many, particularly where room is 

 rather limited in the rick-yard, for one pile of this description will 

 contain three times as much as one of those placed on the ground 

 of a triangular shape ; the saving in thatch is also considerable, 

 and there is the still greater advantage of having turnips well 

 preserved until the months of April and May, and even June, 

 until which latter month I have seen the cattle eat them with 

 eagerness. 



Some objections may possibly be raised against the system^, 



