Farming of Derhysldre. 



23 



the manure being well incorporated. It is then in a fit state to 

 be sown with Swede turnips in May, or common turnips in June. 

 The sowing of turnips is continued to the first week in July, and 

 considered in good season, when they are required for use in the 

 following spring. Bones, guano, and rape-dust are the tillages 

 usually purchased for the turnip crop, but the quantity applied 

 is not so large as formerly. Two quarters of bone-dust and 

 4 cwt. of rape-dust, with turf or soil ashes, is a common dressing. 

 To this is frequently added 1^ or 2 cwts. of guano per acre, sown 

 broadcast ; but the guano is seldom applied when farm-yard 

 manure is used. This application is liberal, and will cost nearly 

 4/. per acre ; but it carries the land through the course. Excel- 

 lent turnips are obtained at less cost ; and frequently, for a 

 change (and with a view to suspend the use of bones, &c. for 

 one fallow), farm-yard manure only is applied. Swedes are 

 drilled on the ridge from 24 to 28 inches wide, and occasionally 

 the common and hybrid kinds are ridged, but more frequently 

 drilled flat, from 14 to 20 inches. Hand and horse hoeing fol- 

 low in proper course : turnips intended for early use are made 

 thinner in the rows, and those to remain in the ground through 

 the winter are left thicker, smaller turnips being preferred in 

 the spring for ewes and lambs. While making these remarks 

 on the turnip fallow and the manures applied, it may not be out 

 of place to notice a novel mode of preparing farm-yard manure 

 for the turnip crop. The plan is a part of the box-feeding 

 system, but with this difference — the manure is made under a 

 large shed, spouted, with a small yard attached, capable of hold- 

 ing 15 or 20 calves during the winter. Into this shed nothing 

 but what is very short is allowed to go — such as sawdust, shoddy, 

 bones, soot, chopped straw, &c., and all the manures obtainable 

 without straw, as cow and horse dung. In this way, layer after 

 layer, a considerable quantity of rich manure is made, and, 

 having received no moisture but urine, is soon prepared by turn- 

 ing and mixing for the drill. Previous to turning, the heap 

 receives a small quantity of diluted sulphuric acid and salt. 

 The bones are usually bought and laid in the yard before 

 Christmas, and in the spring are in a state of decomposition. 

 Farm-yard manure, well incorporated with valuable tillages, is 

 in this state applied by drill to the turnip crop at the rate of 

 60 or 80 bushels per acre. With all these different tillages, but 

 none in excess, excellent crops of turnips are obtained. This 

 system of preparing manure is practised by the writer, who 

 believes that, as surely as guano owes its rich and fertilising 

 properties to the absence of rain, so surely should farm-yard 

 manure be made and treated, and, like guano, have no rain-water 

 washing away its most valuable properties. This svstem is 



