50 
On the Drill Husbandry of Turnips. 
must only be taken as applicable to real turnip land, whether of 
the first quality or not. My observation has not been confined to 
different effects arising from different causes on land that was 
similar to that I had to cultivate ; but having, from a very early 
age, a decided fancy for the cultivation of arable land, and parti- 
cularly good opportunities of indulging it, I was a tolerably close 
observer of the modes of cultivation practised by my brother 
farmers, and the different effects produced, whatever the practice 
might be, or on whatever soil it was tried. I will leave others to 
inquire as to the time when turnips were first grown in England 
as a field crop, and go at once to the more important question. 
How — now that they have been introduced — they can be grown 
to the greatest advantage ? I propose arranging my observations 
under the heads required by the Society. 
I. — The Time of Sowing the different Varieties on different Soils, 
and at different Elevations and Latitudes. 
1st. As a general rule, turnips may with advantage be sown at 
an earlier period in the north than would be suitable for the same 
species, with other circumstances equal, in the south. Thus, al- 
though in the East Riding it is common to commence sowing 
swedes the second week in May, and to finish white turnips by 
the 21st of June, in Suffolk it is usual to commence swedes near 
the end of May, and white turnips a month later. 
2nd. The effect, however, of diffierence in latitude is partially 
counteracted by a greater or less degree of elevation, as well as 
by a difference of soil, where other things are equal. 
3rd. As a general rule, the greater the elevation of the ground 
the colder is the climate ; therefore, if this is not counteracted by 
a difference of soil or situation, the high ground of the south will 
have a climate somewhat similar to land in a more northern 
latitude, at a less degree of elevation, and should be sown ac- 
cordingly. 
4th. Some soils are naturally of a colder nature than others, 
and a difference in this respect will counteract what is known to 
be the common effect of any given elevation or latitude. 
5th. Any peculiarity of the soil or situation which tends to pro- 
mote rapid growth and quick maturity will render the land 
less suitable to be sown early. Thus we see that, although 
there is said to be a general diffierence of about three weeks 
in the proper time for sowing, between the north and the south 
of England, the occupiers of the hills in Gloucestershire find it 
desirable to sow about as early as those of the wolds of Yorkshire ; 
also those of some of the rich and low grounds of the East Rid- 
ing sow about three weeks later than their neighbours on the 
