74 
Garden Work 
In growing the Turnip the soil should be thoroughly 
well cultivated, and fairly well manured. It should not 
be too rich; otherwise the roots may split, or form several 
small, useless roots (finger and toe). The first sowing 
of early varieties may be made on a warm border, when 
the weather is suitable, during February, and successional 
sowings may be made at intervals as required until the 
end of June. The Turnip succeeds best in moderately 
Turnip — Early White Dutch 
light soils, and does not do well in stiff clayey ones. The 
seeds should be sown in drills 15 in. apart for the smaller 
varieties, and 18 in. apart for the stronger-growing kinds. 
Drills should be drawn 1 in. deep, the seed sown thinly, 
and the soil covered in with the feet, thus pressing the 
soil on the top of the seed and preventing the excessive 
evaporation of moisture from the loosened soil. This 
enables the seeds to germinate regularly. As soon as 
the plants appear, the hoe should be kept going to kill 
the weeds and conserve the moisture. When the plants 
are about 2 in. high they should be thinned out, the 
earlier varieties being left about 3 in. apart. When the 
