52 
On the Drill Huxhandiy of Turnips. 
This very early sowing of white turnips might be ruinous to the 
crop, were it intended to stand over the winter, but for early con- 
sumption muij have every recommendation. I say may, because 
everything must depend on the weather of the season in question. 
Thus, until we have an assurance that successive years will be 
counterparts of each other, no man can accurately foretell what 
period of sowing will have the best effect in any given situation. 
That climate which by its warmth enables the occupiers of land 
to sow "stubble turnips" with success has the drawback of ren- 
dering turnips more liable to mildew from too early sowing. 
When turnips are sown too early, there will also be danger of 
their growing too much "into top" during the autumn ; and, if 
they are sown too late, the crop will be light ; even a few days 
will make a great difference in this respect. 
II. — The Mode of Preparing the Land and of Drilling the Seed, 
ivith a Descrijition of the Implements used. 
Although there are many intelligent persons in diflferent parts 
of England, especially in the southern counties, who, after having 
given what they considered a fair trial to drilling, both on ridge 
and level, have returned to the old broadcast system, yet drilling 
is now generally admitted to have advantages over broadcast of 
sufKcient importance to justify the additional expense attending 
it ; and these advantages appear to be, — 
1st. By drilling the seed with the manure, they at once come in 
contact, and must be more likely to insure a crop, than when the 
manure and the seed are each spread at random, to take their 
chance of falling sufficiently near each other for the former to 
benefit the latter. 
2nd. The land can be more effectually cleaned, and at a 
cheaper rate, by the use of the horse-hoe. 
3rd. 'ilie land will be much benefited by the use of the horse- 
hoe, independently of the cleaning before alluded to. 
4th. The seed can be put in more uniformly at what may be 
considered the proper depth. 
5th. When drilling is neatly performed, it shows good culti- 
vation to the best advantage. He, who has once had his fields 
pointed out as models of garden cultivation on a large scale, will 
spare no labour to maintain his character ; and his neighbours 
generally will soon be ashamed of appearing to disadvantage by 
the comparison. 
I believe few of the advocates of drilling are aware how many 
have tried the system (as they thought fairly), and given it up ; 
but, in my opinion, this has arisen, in almost every instance, from 
their not having tried it on its own peculiar principles. 
