04 
On the Drill Husbandry of Turnips. 
useful in clearing away the weeds, but tvill make t/ie turnips grow 
more rapid/'}/, both before and after hoeing ; therefore, whether 
there are weeds or not, where it is of great importance to have 
the crop as forward as possible, this operation can scarcely be too 
often repeated so long as the work is properly done. 
III. — The kind and quantity of Manure employed. 
Bones have been the most common manure of late years for 
turnips on the wolds of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire ; and pro- 
bably few have better reasons for speaking highly of their effects 
than myself: but, as it is now well known there are several other 
manures which may be substituted, it is not my intention to par- 
ticularly recommend them. Their price has regularly advanced 
from 2.S. to 3s. i)er bushel ; and if the demand for them thus 
yearly increases, it will soon become questionable whether their 
beneficial effects may not cost more than they are worth. I there- 
fore most sincerely hope that some, out of the numerous manures 
mentioned as substitutes for bones, may prove as valuable as their 
patrons expect or wish. It is here necessary I should observe, 
that I cannot say how many tons of turnips per acre I have grown, 
simply because I never weighed any, nor had any weighed. There 
are, I know, many who have been celebrated for growing good 
crops of turnips, but yet never weighed a bushel. I consider the 
question I ought to enter on now is, not how much weight of tur- 
nips land fresh to them, and with other circumstances peculiarly 
favourable, may produce, nor what manure has the most bene- 
ficial effect on the turnip-plants, as so many new manures are 
introduced almost daily, that the question of their comparative 
value would be sufficient for an endless essay in itself. The great 
question for present decision is (or I think ought to be), what 
modes of cultivation are the best adapted for insuring such crops 
of turnips as are desirable for the broad fields of Britain, in order 
to afford the greatest and most certain value in nutriment to 
cattle, sheep, &c., and to render the land best capable of producing 
valuable future crops. I have got excellent crops of turnips by 
bone manure ; also by mixing pigeons' dung and half-inch bones 
of equal quantities, and drilling 24 bushels on ridges 27 inches 
asunder, for swedes. From 1826 to 1834 I used to drill white 
turnips on level, using half-inch bone manure at the rate of from 
16 to 24 bushels per acre, mixing with the bones the ashes of 
couch, &c., for the reasons before stated, the rows being generally 
18 inches asunder. Swedes are well known to require more ma- 
nure than wliite turnips, and it is usual to give them about half as 
much more. In 1839 I had an opportunity of observing the 
effect of a small quantity of rape-dust mixed with the bone- 
manure. I intended to sow a field of 47 acres with white tur- 
