56 
On the Diill Hu.sbandry of Turnips. 
It might appear almost unnecessary to state this, were it not, 
that, in preparing any land for turnips, we must constantly bear in 
mind in w hat it differs from " the best turnip land," and let our 
preparation for the crop, and our consumption of it, be regulated 
accordingly. Real turnip soil, although not of the best quality, 
may by high cultivaticm produce crops approaching, if not equal, 
to the best turnip land. 
I have always recommended the first ploughing to be done as 
early as possible, whether immediately after corn, or where old 
grass is broken up for turnips. I have broken up grass on more 
than one occasion, and my experience has tended to convince me, 
that in many cases, where the land is in such a state as to be 
capable of being thoroughly broken up and pulverized, without 
first paring and burning, it would be best to lime the grass imme- 
diately before ploughing, not only that the lime might assist in 
decomposing the vegetable matter, and thereby turn to manure 
what would otherwise to a certain extent be wasted, or reduced 
by the process of burning, but that the lime, by becoming in- 
corporated with the soil, might cause the land to work more 
freely, and thereby mechanically assist in all the future opera- 
tions. For similar reasons I have used lime on corn stubbles 
before ploughing for turnips, and think that it is generally the 
best period for doing so, especially if the land is foul, or if animal 
manure is intended to be applied for the turnip crop. Were the 
lime and the animal manure to follow each other too closely, the 
former might counteract the beneficial effects of the latter, instead 
of being, what I think in most cases it ought to be considered, 
rather a preparation for them. 
We now come to the point where it is necessary to consider 
whether the land is subject to weeds, especially "charlock.'' I 
can remember the time when every one I talked to on the sub- 
ject used to say " it was quite impossible to guard against having 
" charlock in your crops, because you never could get rid of it. 
" If you dug into the earth 20 feet, to make a canal, &c., the soil 
" coming to the surface from that depth would immediately be- 
" covered with it." 
I must confess that this fact for some time seemed to throw an 
almost insurmountable obstacle in the way of effectually prevent- 
ing the growth of the weed ; and I believe that to this day there 
are many who therefore never think of guarding against it, except 
by destroying what grows in their corn, &c., considering it a hope- 
less task. 
From the magnitude of the evil I feel justified in calling par- 
ticular attention to this subject. Having once accounted to 
myself satisfactorily, for the charlock-seed not growing at 20 feet 
deep, and growing at once when brought near the surl'ace, by the 
