554 
The Root Crops of 1860. 
it abutted on the corner of a plantation and was trimmed by wood- 
pigeons. A square chain gave a weight of 29 cwt. 43 lbs. (bulb 
and leaf), or aboiit 14 tons 15 cwt. per acre. Ten good bulbs 
weighed 47 lbs. The bulbs are all sound (January 31st), except 
where they had been gnawed by game ; they are a valuable vege- 
table for the table in this season of scarcity. I cannot think it 
desirable to incur the expense and delay of transplanting when 
1 J lbs. of seed will suffice. Those which I transplanted from a 
seed-bed did not attain to more than half the size of those drilled in 
the field. With regard to the crop sown late on similar land, simi- 
larly treated, but with rather less manure, I have not ascertained 
the weight per acre ; but drilled at the width of 18 inches, and set 
out rather close, they present a mass of foliage such as is nowhere 
else to be seen ; and as the white turnips have lost their top, they 
will be very valuable for the lambs. Drum-head cabbages, trans- 
planted alongside of the early kohl-rabi, on land manured in the 
same way, gave 22 cwt. 36 lbs. on the square chain, or about 
11 tons 3 cwt. per acre. These have not stood the weather as well 
as the kohl-rabi ; those which had the best centres or balls have 
suffered most, and have rotted half through at least ; those that ran 
to leaf are most serviceable. White turnips sown close by, with 
superphosphate and ashes only, gave 34 cwt. 14 lbs. (bulb and 
top) per square chain, or 17 tons 1 cwt. per acre, or, without the 
tops, 12 tons 5 cwt. Orange-globe mangold, grown with aboiit 
12 tons of manure and 2 cwt. of superphosphate, gave about IS tons 
of roots this season on similar soil ; about 25 tons being the standard 
crop. 
Of swedes, those sown early on the ridge were the best; those 
sown late on the flat and^earthed up by the last horsehoeing are now 
the most sound. I should estimate the former at 15 tons, the latter 
at 12 tons per acre. Those on the ridge were under orders for 
being pulled and set 8 rows in 2 rows, and earthed up in a furrow, 
when all autumn work being in arrear the frost took us by sur- 
prise. Had this work been done, it would, I think, have told well 
upon their keeping. Some of the largest bulbs are going from the 
root, perhajis from being in too immediate contact with manure ; 
the frost too and the blast have caught the ridges ; whereas the 
white turnip drills which took the line of the furrow have come 
out quite fresh and bright from their covering of snow. My stock 
of food is abundant for my diminishing flock ; for my ewes, looking 
fully as well as usual, caught the blast at Christmas time. About 
60 out of 280, chiefly shearlings, were struck with a chill ; 50 have 
already dropped dead lambs, and of these 1 2 have died ; but the 
mischief has nearly run its course. 
END OF VOL. XXI. 
rONDON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET, 
AND CIIAKING CROSS. 
