The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-07-24
The Turnin Crop .

We suppose there are few farmers who
would object to liberal tuTnip crop, if at
the proper time, it were found stored in
their cellars, ready for feeding stock. nd
if it is not yet expedient for American far
mers TO engage in turuip growing as large
ly as their English cousins, it may be Of
great profit for them generally TO grow mod
crate quantities, and, in many cases, large
crops. The farmer who at the present sea-
sou looks over his resources, and fears he
is not producing food enough to carry his
stock through the winter, may yet increase
those resources 10 an extent to enable him
to even add to instead of diminishing his
number of animals. PUttng in turnip
crop will do this and just now, before you
are fully engaged in the grain harvest, is
the time to devote day or two to this work.
If the farmer Unexpectedly determines to
raise turuips it may puzzle him-a little to
select the land for their growth. He has
no place prepared but there may be seye-
raj locations on his farm where aa expert
enced turnip grower would expect to attain
reasonable success. If by mischanoe there
are vacant spots in tie corn or potatoe field
SOW them to turnips. The stubble of the
earliest cut grain, plowed, fitted, and sowed
promptly may give fine crop. Or a light
and brittle sod inverted with care, will fit
the turpip plart. There is, indeed, no lack
Of place for the crop on any farm.
Where there is a chance for selection the
soil should be fertile, and one that may be
finely pulverized and readily worked. The
preparations should be made to grow large
crop il is much better to raise eight hun
dred bushels on one acre than a hundred
or two. The foundation for a large crop
is manure faith and liberal hand is want
ed there. Good culture rears the super
structure skill and industry should labor
together. The Swede, or ruta baga, which
variety is perhaps uncxcelled as field crop,
is peculiarly remarkable for its wanting
manure to give it a start. A little ooncen-
trated fertilizer in the drills is what is need
so to push tho plan! Vigorously in its first
growth that it may escape the turnip fly
and acquire early the broad rough leaves
through which the plant derives from the
AIR very great share Of its substance. If
the method Of culture is thorough, aiming
70 grow a large crop from a given area, We
should advise planting in drills that are
about two feet apart These may be open
ed with pillow, manure spread along them,
then dirt turned on to the manure, thus
forming ovey it little ridges. These
should be slightly lattened and the seed
sown about three quarters Of an inch deep
and at the rate of one pound per acre. In
our climate it would be ossome importance
10 SOW the seed while the soil is fresh and
damp so that the saed will germinate quick
ly. Broadcast sowing Is often practiced,
but for a good crop it is not commendablo.
When the Tlants first appear they are Of
ten infested with the turniP fly. The best
remedy is to push the plants with manure
SO that they will get the rough leaves, when
The insect becomes harmless. Il is useful
10 dust plaster over the plants. As soon
as the young turnips are Of suficieul height
to mari the rows well. cultiyators should
be vpsSscd between them, and the dirt
scrsp1d from the sides Of The ridges leav-
lug them only three or four inches in Width
aud TWO OF three in height. a few days
later the plants must be thinned in tie POW
so that they viii stand about one foot apart
Tris work Is rapidly done with hoe, an
active hand going over one-third Of an acre
in day. This completes the haad labor
il tho ground is tolerably free from weeds
until harvesting; but the cutiyator mus
be used The main growth Of the turniT
is made in the fall, moist, dark Weather
being favorable to its development. /. il
not injured by ordinary fall lrosts, but con
dnues its growth late. Il should be hsr
vested in Novsmbsr.-P5,ro| Nelg Yorker