On the Preservation of the Swedish Turnip. 
'lib 
damage occasioned by these destructive insects, still we may, by perse- 
verance directed by proper suggestions, probably be able to devise means 
whereby this great amount of injury may be lessened ; and with these 
impressions I have been induced to address this communication to its 
notice.* 
III. — On the Preservation of the Swedish Turnip. By Charles 
Allix. 
Having read and tried every method, I believe, that has been suggested 
as to the management of the Swedish turnip when taken up previous 
to the winter, I have never been quite satisfied, as, whether they were 
placed with a good deal of trouble and labour in long piles, and covered 
with straw or straw and earth, or in round heaps and covered with earth, 
or between wattled hurdles, or topped and tailed and deposited in a fur- 
row made by a double mould-board plough and covered by the common 
plough, there have always been too many rotten to satisfy me. If depo- 
sited in a barn or building, it might answer very possibly, as in the case 
of mangold-wurzel, which I have for several years managed in this man- 
ner. I do not remember ever having had a single rotten one. But for 
Swedes, it would be almost impossible to store any great quantity, so 
much room would be required — as, for instance, for only ten acres. 
However, this year I have tried a plan that does appear to answer, 
very simple and very cheap ; but only having tried it one year, and that 
year a remarkable one for its mildness, I will not speak positively, and 
shall be happy to hear any remarks upon the plan, or any improvements 
suggested by brother farmers. 
The plan is this: — In December, or when you please, with the horse- 
hoe, only one of the side-knives being on, and that knife reversed, you 
will be a'Dle to cut all the tap-roots and scarcely disturb a turnip in the 
rows. This alone is of use in the spring, even if you do not wish to do 
more, as it will very much prevent the turnips running to seed, and of 
course the tap-root from drawing the ground. I tried two rows at a time, 
both knives on; but my man found it almost impossible to hold the in- 
• A remaikaUle fact in corroboration of the foregoing has, since writing the above 
article, fallen under my notice. A neighbouring tanner having sown a few square 
yards witli foreign wheat, in tlie midst of a field otherwise sown with red wheat, has 
directed iny attention to it, and I lind that the wheat growing upon this single patch is 
infected with maggot to an unprecedented extent, upwards of one-half the ears being 
deficient at least 50 per cent., whilst the surrounding crop is entirely free from the 
maggots. I find that this patch came into ear several days earlier than the surrounding 
red wlieat, at which latter time, it is presumed, the flies were dead. The wheat that 
came into ear at a certain period, on about the 12lh of July, is more infected than that 
wliicli came into ear earlier or later than that period; and in many instances the da- 
mage is considerable, especially upou the Rough or Velvet Chaff Wheat; but although 
the injury has taken place, fewer maggots are in existence than I ever remember to have 
seen in pro])ortion to the deficient kernels. From the Ichneumon-flies having been very 
active during the hot and dry weather, and in greater numbers than usual, this may be 
in great measure attributed, added to the dry slate of atmosphere that has prevailed 
throughout. — July 4, 1846. 
T 2 
