Farming of East Lothian. 



283 



which is now rarely done, from 12 to 16 tons of well-rotted dung 

 are given ; but it is usual to supplement this quantity with 

 some one or other of the portable manures. All the turnips in 

 East Lothian, and indeed in Scotland, are sown upon the ridge, 

 the usual breadth of the drill being 28 inches. The sowing of 

 the swedes commences generally about the 10th of May, and 

 continues up till the end of May or first week of June. As soon 

 as the sowing of the swedes is completed, that of the other 

 varieties, yellow and white, follows. Of the yellows, the Purple 

 Top and the Green Top are held in about equal estimation. Of 

 the white varieties, the Globe is the most esteemed. The propor- 

 tion of swedes to the other varieties is in ordinary seasons fully 

 one-third — the swedes on soils adapted for them being always 

 preferred. 



The weight of the turnip crop is no less dependent upon the 

 manner in which the plants are singled, and the land stirred 

 after singling, than upon the preparation of the land. The 

 swede variety is usually ready for singling in about six weeks 

 after sowing ; the other varieties sometimes in four weeks. They 

 are either singled by the hand or by the hoe — very generally, 

 however, by the hoe — 3 persons overtaking an acre in the day in 

 ordinarily favourable circumstances. The distance between the 

 plants varies from 9 to 15 inches — the latter is considered more 

 advantageous than the former where the land is in very high 

 condition. 



Previous to thinning, a drill-grubber is generally passed 

 between the rows for the purpose of destroying as many of the 

 weeds as possible. After the plants recover the singling, which 

 operation is generally done when the plants are at a very early 

 stage of growth, they are again grubbed ; sometimes a single- 

 horse paring-plough takes away the edge of the drill : hoeing is 

 again performed ; and, after another grubbing, the cleaning is 

 completed. Some farmers use a plough for slightly earthing up 

 the drills ; the propriety of this, however, is questionable, espe- 

 cially where the land is thorough-drained. 



In consuming the turnip, some farmers remove the whole of 

 the crop off the ground, commencing with the white varietv. 

 The more general system is to remove the greater portion, the 

 rest being eaten on the ground by sheep, the proportion removed 

 varying from one-half to three-fourths. This depends upon the 

 breadth grown, the quantity of straw the farm produces, and the 

 proportion of other feeding stuffs which are used along with the 

 turnip. The folding of sheep sometimes commences on stiff 

 soils in the beginning of September. The storing of the white 

 variety for cattle generally commences by the end of October, 



