1865.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
341 
G R O 
Gigantic Indian Fowls. 
• — 
■ As our knowledge of the countries of Central 
Asia extends, and more especially as naturalists 
pursue their investigations among those coun- 
tries where ■with scarce a doubt our baru-3'ard 
fowls were originally native, numerous and very 
interesting varieties are brought to light. Some 
prove very useful, as for example, the Brahma 
Pootra, -wliich has been known only since 1850; 
others are simply curious, and have failed to 
impart to crosses the good qualities which 
the}' possessed, or to improve when bred with 
care, even where the effort has been made to 
engraft upon the breed the excellences of anoth- 
er. A new wonder for poultry fanciers, and 
perhaps the germ of a new hen-fever, equal to 
that excited by the Cohin China fowls, has been 
brought from Central India by a Capt. Hastings 
Frazer. It is represented in the above group of 
fowls. The drawing havmg been made be- 
fore the birds had recovered from the effects of 
a long voyage, doubtless does not show them 
tff good advantage. They rejoice in the grace- 
ful name of Beegum-Pilly-Gaguzes, from the 
title of a native Prince. A cock and hen and 
two pullets are shown. The cock stands 3 
feet C inches high, and his thigh is so large it 
can hardly be spanned with one hand. Chick- 
ens are said to attain the weight of 8 pounds at 
7 or 8 months old. These meagre statements 
are sufficient to lend uu interest to the homely 
group of fowls of whicU we present a picture, 
Engraved for tht Amei-ican Agriculturist, 
and to lead us to watch for further reports of 
their success or failure in British poultry-yards. 
Capt. Frazer takes them to Scotland, where he 
intends breeding them and crossing them with 
the Gray Dorkings, in the hope of increasing 
the size of this large and favorite breed. 
August Turnips. 
In many parts of the country turnips of ex- 
cellent quality, and of fair size, can be raised 
from seed sowed from the 1st to the 10th of 
August. In other places again, it would be 
time and labor spent ia vain to attempt to raise 
even a small plot of this kind of roots. If the 
soil is only right and iu good condition, there 
will be but little doubt of a good crop. On the 
5th of October last we saw in one of the central 
counties of this state as nice, tender and smooth 
turnips as were ever raised at other seasons of 
the year, which is unusual for that part of the 
country. The seed was sowed about the 3d of 
August They attained this large growth in 
two months. As they were superior to any 
late turnips we have ever met with, the inquiry 
was raised how they were produced. The pro- 
prietor informed us that the soil was a sandy 
loam, and had produced a crop of early pota- 
toes. Previous to planting the potatoes in the 
spring, the soil received only a thin dressing of 
well-rotted barn-yard manure. As soon as the 
potatoes were dug, the ground was plowed and 
haiTowed, and the turnip seed sowed in drills 
about 2 feet apart. The plants were thinned to 8 
inches as soon as they were large enough to 
transplant. After this they were cultivated and 
hoed twice. They were the Green-top, Strap- 
leaf variety, known in Central and Western 
New- York as the Flat Field Turnips, which 
are usually grown on new land just cleared. 
There are other varieties of turnips among 
which are the Long White French Turnip, 
which will mature if sowed the first week 
in August, where the soil is adapted to them. 
We have seen soil in excellent condition, capa- 
ble of producing three tons of the best quality 
of hay per acre, 80 bushels of oats, 90 bushels 
of Indian corn, and thirty bushels of as nice 
wheat as is usually jound iu the Genesee Val- 
ley of Western New- York, which would not 
yield a crop of turnips worth pulling, if the seed 
were sowed as late iu the season as the last of 
Julj', or the first week of August. But, where 
turnips will succeed well, our advice is to plow 
up or spade every available nook and corner 
and put in turnip seed. Frequently there can 
enough be raised, after the first of August, to 
furnish one or two milch cows and a spau of 
horses with a good feeding daily, during the 
late autumn and early winter, which is much 
better than to allow weeds to fill the space. 
Good turnips are also excellent for the table, 
and good for swine. They cover the ground 
with a rank vegetation, which makes a good 
green manure crop, if the roots do not mature. 
