Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-05-25
Agrifnltnral.
HE TURNIP AND ITS CULTIVATION.
BYI c. SMELL, EDMONTON, c. W.

my fathers farm. | shall not attempt to
give positive proof that it is profitable or
paying crop, but cannot understand how
any one that keeps good stock, and pays
attention to pushing forward young ami
mails, can well do without them. 1t is true
that if all the labor that must be expended
in its cultivation be taken into account, it
is one of the most expensive crops we
raise, if not the most eI,penSiCe, but it leaves
the land in first rate condition for growing
future crops of any kind. For it must be
well manured to produce good crop of
turnips, and it must be SO we'll cultivated
that all grasses and weeds are etfectually
killed. We can do more injury to Canada
thistles by cultivating turnips than by any
other course. We get larger amount of
good, succulent feed for stock from the
same quantity of land than we can of any
other crop We make an immense pile of
excellent manure to keep up the farm, and
our stock is healthier and better for lib
eral supply Of roots. Besides all this there
is more real pleasure in working among
and watching the growth and progress of
a field of turnips than can be derived from
any other crop it is really fascinating, and
we consider it by no means an uncertain
crop; in ten years we have never failed to
get an average crop. This year, 1854,
in spite of the most severe drouth that the
:" oldest inhabitants has ever experienced,
we have cultivated twenty-six acres, and
never had better crop. am quite cer-
tain they will average 900 bushels per
acre. This is considered a good crop, but
as high as | 200 bushels have been grown
in Canada In this, as in the cultivation of
any crop, great deal has to be learned by
observation and experience-sometimes
dear bought experience.
A good crop of turnips may be obtained
without the use of artificial or expensive
manures, by using only good barnyard ma
nure by this do not mean the kind of
manure generally used by our farmers,
such as rotten straw and the droppings of
animals that have been fed on straw, but
manure made from animals that have been
we'll fed / think the best time to apply
the manure is in the fall, spread and plowed
under. In this way it keeps the soil open
and loose during the winter, and becomes
thoroughly mixed with it. But if it is not
convenient to apply it in the fall manure
that has been composted during the win
ter, and is well rotted, can be applied in
the same way in the spring. But perhaps
a better way to get immediate benefit from
the manure is to open out drills and spread
the manure in the drills then close them
and SOW upon the top This mode requires
more labor, but will perhaps pay for it in
the crop, as the manure is directly under
the plants, and must have a good effect
If the land has been plowed in the fall, as
it certa My should be- it need not be moved
g +ln l.
through, about the last of May when it
should be plowed, narrowed and rolled,
then let lie for a week or two, so that any
seeds of noxious weeds that may be pres
ent will have time to sprout the land
should then be thoroughly worked with the
pillow, harrow, cultivator and roller, till it
is fine and loose fine seed bed is of the
greatest Importance If the land is of a
character that will break, it should never
be worked while wet.
The best way to preplre the land for
sowing is to make it out in drills from 26
TO so inches apart | think the latter dis
tance preferable, and for this purpose a
double mOuld-board plow is great advan-
tage. A roller should be passed over the
drills, lengthwise before sowing this fiat
tens the drills and makes them more solid
to prevent the seed being deposited to deep
You may get quite as good a crop by SOW
ing and cultivating on the level, but they
are much easier to work in raised drills,
and the horseshoe can be used sooner with
out injury to the plants The drill we have
used for sowing is one of the kind used in
Yorkshire, England, a cumberous machine
drawn by two horses, (sows three drills at
time and has an arrangement for SOW
ing dry manure with the seed, which can
be used or not at pleasure We have sown
a mixture of coal dust, ashes, bOne-dust
and dry swamp muck with very satisfac-
tory results 1t is certainly a good princ-
pie to SOW manure with the seed, but it is
rather troublesome We have never tried
superphosphate, but have no doubt it is a
good thing.
For covering the seed | think a brush is
the best thing it may be made of green
branches or boughs drawn through light
frame Of poles a roller packs the ground,
and when a shower of rain comes it is apt
to form a crust on the surface, which pre-
vents the plants from coming up | think
it better to SOW after shower if possible
while the ground is damp and the crust
does not form on the surface as it would if
lht "CiC SONI DtIOIC a. SlO"tl, DSSluGS
the ground is better for being little solid,
as the seed does not need to be so deep.
The best time to SOW is about the Goth of
June any time between the 18th and 25th
will do very well, but if the weather. or
other things, are unfavorable to sowing at
that time, | would not be III hurry.
have seen a good crop of turnips that were
sown on the 18th of July. We usually
sow about . pounds of seed per acre; some
persons sow q or 3 pounds. Of course a
much less quantity would be sufficient if it
all grew, but it may not all germinate, or
the fly may come in for a share, and it is
well to have enough, as the additional ex-
pense is tritling, besides you have better
choice of plants in the operation of hoeing
and thinning.
As soon as the plants are large enough,
they must be thinned by striking the hoe
across the drill, cutting out the width of
the hoe and leaving only one plant in a
place. After a little practice it will never
be necessary to use the hand in separating
the plants, and a good hand can hoe three
quarters of an acre a day. The hoes
should be from to 8 inches wide and
straight in the head, so as to be used in
pushing from you as well as pulling tow
ards you.
DarCono ,,,;+b