112 
AMERICAN KITCHEN GARDENER. 
good number of nig.its; for there is scarcely any of our fields sufficiently rich 
to produce turnips without manuringand folding hitherto appears to be 
the best method of enriching the ground for this purpose. It should he well 
harrowed, as often as once a week, while the folding is continued, to mix the 
excrements of the cattle with the soil.”— Deane. 
Process in sowing , and precautions against the fly. — a Let the ground be 
well broken by regular digging, and neatly leveled to receive the seed. 
Procure bright, well dried seed. At a season when the turnip-fly is not ap° 
prehended, the seed may be put into the ground without any preparation, 
either alone or mixed with a little sand ; but in the hot w T eather of summer, 
it is advisable to use some cheap and effectual preventive of the fly. It ap¬ 
pears from a trial of Knight, at the suggestion of Sir Humphrey Davy, that 
lime slaked with urine, and mixed with a treble quantity of soot, if sprinkled 
in with the seed at the time of sowing, will protect the seeds and germs 
from the ravages of this pernicious insect; but this antidote cannot be con¬ 
veniently applied unless the sowing be in drills. A yet simpler remedy, 
found by Mean to be perfectly successful, is, to steep the seed in sulphur- 
water, putting an ounce of sulphur to a pint of water, w T hich will be suffi¬ 
cient for soaking about three pounds of seed.”— Abercrombie. 
The method of sowing is either broad-cast or in drills. In the former 
mode, Abercrombie directs to allow half an ounce of seed for every one hun¬ 
dred square feet. Deane says, the quantity of seed for an acre is never less 
than one pound—more frequently a pound and a half, and sometimes two. 
In sowing by broad-cast, the seed may be covered by drawing a “ light har¬ 
row backward, that is, wrong end foremost, to prevent the tines, which are 
generally set somewhat pointed forward, from tearing up the sods, and bury¬ 
ing the seed too deep.” If sowed in rows, the drills may be an inch deep, 
and twelve or fifteen inches asunder. 
Subsequent culture. —As soon as the plants have rough leaves, about an 
Inch broad, hoe and thin them to six or eight inches’ distance, cutting up all 
weeds. As the turnips increase in the root, a part may be drawn young, by 
progressive thinnings, so as to leave tViose designed to reach a full size ulti¬ 
mately ten or twelve inches apart. 
Taking and preserving the crop. —In Engla id they feed the turnips off the 
ground with sheep, or draw them up for neat cattle, through the winter, as 
they are wanted ; but, in this country, they must be harvested in autumn, 
about the end of October, or even earlier in some seasons and places, and 
stored and saved, as directed for preserving other roots. See page 24. 
To save seed .—“ Some of the best roots of the middling size should be 
planted early in the spring, in a good spot, free from shade. They should be 
in rows, eighteen inches asunder, and the ground must be kept clear of weeds 
till the seed is ripe. Stakes and laths may be needful round the outside, to 
£eep the branches from falling to the ground before the seed is fully ripe " 
