18 
Agriculture of Berkshire. 
Notwithstanding all these appliances, the turnip-plants may 
fall victims to the many enemies with which they have to con- 
tend ; but, should they survive them on the land that lias been 
drilled, the horse-hoe is put to work as soon as the plants are 
strong enough ; on that sown broadcast the harrow is used, if 
the surface has become crusted by rain, so as to bring the plants 
as quickly as possible to the hoe. 
Mangold, which in most instances is put in as early in 
April as the weather will permit, is generally hoed out the 
first time, and sometimes the second, before the hands on the 
farm are required for haymaking : in this case they always 
want a third hoeing later in the summer. There has been 
much diversity of opinion about the best time for sowing 
swedes. Some sow as early in May as the land can be got 
ready, contending that thus they run the least risk from the 
fly ; but, as the soil is cold at this period, the plants are a 
long time coming to the hoe, and the hardier weeds, growing 
with unusual vigour from the stimulating power of the mcyiure, 
soon choke them up. At best, if these difficulties are got 
over, after extra trouble and expense in hoeing, the crop is 
very liable to become necky, is frequently attacked in autumn 
by mildew, and, if not fed off early, is destroyed by the first 
severe frost, unless it is stored — a proceeding not now in much 
favour. Others prefer to sow later, i.e. about the first week 
in June, and I think they are right, as from my own observa- 
tion I have found that swedes or turnips never gi'ow freely 
till the lowest temperature, at one foot below the surface, is 
not less than from 52 to 55 degrees, which is seldom the case 
before June comes in. The plants sown at that time are fre- 
quently fit for the hoe in three weeks from the time of sowing, and 
are ready for the hands to begin upon so soon as the haymaking is 
completed. In most seasons, when the harvest is not unusually 
forward, they receive the second hoeing before reaping commences. 
Rape and forward turnips are sown directly before or after the 
swedes ; the backward turnips that are required for winter or spring 
feeding not until the latter end of June or beginning of July, and 
even later, very frequently after a crop of peas, rye, winter barley, 
or vetches, have been taken ; indeed many of the best farmers on 
the quickest soils, when kept clean, never think of having a 
naked fallow : these later sown turnips are hoed out as oppor- 
tunities offer in the harvest, but this work is often obliged to be 
deferred till the whole of the corn is secured. Since swedes 
and turnips are yearly becoming a more hazardous crop, kohl- 
rabi has bv many been recommended as a substitute. This 
has not hitherto been cultivated to any extent in this county, 
and the impression of most farmers at present is, that it takes 
