
          772

Ruta Baga

1. Mr Townsend of Orange County New York, sowed on 10 ft square
in Rows 20 inches wide 10 inches apart on the 9th July - weeded out
the 10th Aug. On the 15 Aug. a spoonful of ashes put round each turnip 
& the same quantity on the 20th September.  Ground kept very
clean through the whole Season - produced 3 Bushels from 4 to
8 pounds of turnips, <s>illegible</s> Ground dug 12 inches deep - Roots
penetrated about 12 inches into the Ground - Season remarkably
dry - produce at the rate of 1300 Bus [Bushels] p [per] Acre.
On the 100 feet put 10 Bus [Bushels] of charcoal dust and 20 bushels of
black swamp mould. Soil strong dry loam - on the South 
side of a Mountain

2. 4 rods of moist loamy land, ploughed twice in June
seed sown 4th July broadcast, produce 25 bushels, weight
4 to 9 pounds = 1000 bushels p [per] acre.

Ruta Baga 1819

May 10th. Ploughed up a clover lay at the same time with my 
corn ground adjoining. light sandy loam, young orchard 10 years old
30 feet apart about one acre - land in good order for corn.

June 21  Ploughed in furrows for Manure 4 feet ridges -

June 26 Dunged with 27 cart loads Dung [illegible] ashes, & 4 loads burnt
earth & ashes = 32 loads @ 75 . . . 24.00

June 26 Labor 5 men equal to 3 day ( & a boy) & teams . . . 4.00
65 Rows drilled by [illegible] ⅓ day with 1[illegible] seed mixed
with plaster of Paris ( 3 hours exactly employed) in drilling

July 17 After 3 weeks of continued severe Drought with slight showers
all the seed perished except a few plants under the Tree.
I this day cleared out the furrows harrowed the ridges lengthways,
then drilled again ¾ [illegible] seed same as at first ploughing
harrowing drilling & weeding about 1 full day [ men & horse ], the
few weeds which grew on the top of the Ridges were taken up 1.50
[illegible] East end of South row - half a row sowed with seed I saved
the rest with Cobbets & Thompsons mixed imported seed.

Aug 6. All the seed having perished from the extreme severity of the Drought
except a few under the Tree, & a few fine plants on the side of the Compost
Heap.  Ploughed again and drilled about ¾[illegible] of my own seed
gathered in the beginning of July.

Aug 23 Several showers  had happened, a fine one last Evg [Evening] the most copious one
since the middle of May. transplanted all I could find fit, many
young plants make their appearance, hoed the centre of the Ridges [illegible]
the [illegible]

Sept. 23 Team planted all my superfluous plants from last sowing of Aug 6.
Immediately after the fine rain of 22nd (Equinox). next day 24th a very fine
shower of an hour (very smart-)

Octer [October] 7. & 8th  
Ploughed from & to and hoed - Transplanted plants look well & grow fast
on 28 Sept sowed a peck of [illegible] coarse salt on 5 Rows = 3¼ Row p[per] acre.
2nd space between trees from South Side, on Arch of Ridges.
        