TUR 
TUR 
not duly elaborated, and hence the ne¬ 
cessity of placing them where they may 
receive light and the influence of the 
sun through some portion of the day; 
and in drying them as a supply for 
winter an error is often committed. To 
preserve all the aroma which constitutes 
their excellence, they should be cut just 
before the flowers are formed, and dried 
as quickly as possible in the shade, by 
hanging up in small bunches, or spread 
out thinly on a cloth, this may be easily 
and effectually done; and afterwards 
each bunch should be put into a paper 
bag and kept in a dry place. Leaving 
them till the flowers have expended the 
secretions of the entire plant, drying 
in the sun, where the juices, and conse¬ 
quently the flavour, is evaporated, and 
keeping them subsequently in damp 
sheds or similar places, are very fre¬ 
quent, and equally injudicious practices. 
TREE ONION. See ONION. 
TURNIP. Brassica rapa (De 
Candolle.) Nat. Ord. Crucifer a. In 
the cultivation of this useful root there 
are two matters so intimately connected 
with the ultimate success as to require 
particular mention, but which, unfortu¬ 
nately, are too often beyond control— 
these are soil and situation. Unless 
rich earth, in an open airy place, can be 
given them, it is vain to attempt the 
growth of good turnips, for in confined 
places overhung with trees, or shut in 
with walls and fences, or on very poor 
soil, the natural predisposition of the 
plant to run to seed is encouraged to 
so great an extent as to render it almost 
impossible, even with the utmost atten¬ 
tion, to keep them long enough to form 
roots of any size, and those which may 
be obtained will prove stringy and bad 
flavoured; to these causes may be traced 
the acknowledged inferiority of garden 
turnips, those in the fields, having the 
Advantage of pure, frequently changing 
air, grow with a vigour unknown to the 
less favorably-placed turnip of the 
garden. But as they are required at 
seasons when not procurable from the 
best situations, they must still be sup¬ 
plied in the best manner affecting cir¬ 
cumstances will permit, and as the only 
means of securing a production that 
may be eatable, very frequent sowings 
of small quantities should be made, to 
ensure a supply of young roots at such 
periods as they are most required. On 
all occasions the ground should be well 
manured and dug just previous to the 
insertion of the seed, and kindly grow¬ 
ing weather selected, as far as practi¬ 
cable, for the occasion, a great deal 
depending upon getting the seed to 
vegetate freely and grow rapidly. The 
first sowing of the year may take place 
in Eebruary, selecting at that time a 
warm southern border, as the produce 
of this crop is intended to be consumed 
in the following May and June. At 
the same period a sprinkling may be 
made in an ordinary frame placed on a 
very slight hot bed, having a heat just 
sufficient to assist the young plants in 
the first week or two of the progress, 
depending afterwards on the protection 
to be given by means of mats thrown 
over at night and in very bad weather. 
The necessary thinning being attended 
to, and abundance of air given whenever 
it can be admitted, these plants will 
grow quickly, and be fit for use a fort¬ 
night or three weeks before those in 
the open ground, aud come in just at 
the time the autumnal crops are failing. 
To succeed them, small sowings should 
be made at the beginning and end of 
each month, or at intervals of a fort¬ 
night until July, when the main crops 
for winter use are to be got in. At the 
earlier sowings of spring, the nipping 
effects of cold winds and frosts, alter¬ 
nating with the ravages of slugs, often 
go far to render the cultivator’s endea¬ 
vours nugatory; but now a still more 
formidable enemy, whose attack is often 
irresistible, makes its appearance in the 
shape of the minute, but destructive, 
turnip-fly. These pests swarm in hot 
dry weather, and in a few days com¬ 
pletely annihilate the most healthy crop, 
nor does any preventive offer that can 
be considered effectual or applicable on 
anything like an extensive scale. The 
best course to pursue at this season is 
to defer the sowing until the weather 
promises to be favorable, a shower of 
