Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-07-27
Experience with Turnips.

In the Ohio Farmer of June IL, occurs the
following =" The white turnip may be a sue
cessful crop after wheat has been cut, but
sowed among corn, as is practiced by some
farmers, is not favored by me, as it prevents
the corn from ripeniDg and filling OUT
Several years since, having seen it recon-
mended in some agricultural publication to
sow turnips broadcast after the last cultiva-
ton of the corn, and thus get two crops,
thought that it would do no harm TO try it,
and accordingly sowed about an acre of the
best ground in the field, the 10th of July.
The turnips came up well, and for time
promised TO make a crop; If the corn could
have been harvested about the first of August
| would have done 80 but about the middle
of that month | noticed that the turnips had
got sick and discouraged, and the result was
a few very small turnips, too little to be
counted any gain cause, lack of sun and
air, which they require while grJwing, and
cannot obtain if there is good growth OF
corn. could not see that they injured the
corn to any extent.
1t might in some instances be profitable to
mix the two crops, especially If the corn
was put in for feed and fed of early, say
within three weeks after sowing the seed !;
but as a general thing i think that in field
culture it would result in failure of the tur-
nips, and as general thing do not believe
in mixing crops, U mean crops that require
the whole season to mature, and are dissimi-
lar in their growth for they are often diff
cult to manage so as not 10 interfere with the
others. This reminds me of a little expert
ence in this line last season Having been
informed through the papers, that it was a
good plan to fill up in the cornfeld where
the cut-worm had destroyed the corn and it
was too late TO plant over, with cabbage
plants, and that good crop Of cabbage could
be thus raised, accordingly. having a piece Of
sweet corn that did not wish mixed with
any other variety, and the seed being poor so
that | only had about half a stand. | set out
cabbage plants in each hill where there was
no stalk of corn. They got good start,
and at first appeared to be doing finely but
when the corn got well growing, and began
!. ,S-s shade the ground the cabbage dixie some
they must do as the Romans do" took an
upward tendency, and the result was some of
the . tallest kind Of cabbage, some meas
uring nearly four feet high, but without a
sign of a head-worthless except for feed, and
for Il at hardly worth the trouble of harvest
ing, to say nothing of the setting out, hoeing
etc. In some instances it might prove a sue
cess, but more frequently it will be found un-
profitable to attempt the growing of two crops
of dissmilar growth upon the same ground
at the same time.
A crop of turnips can be raised after many
crops have matured for instance, peas, ear
| ly potatoes, onions, etc. and il is good pol
icy TO sow such places to turnips, instead of,
as is too often the case, letting them grow W
to weeds. Perhaps the best way would be &c
SOW in drills foot apart, and after well up
thin to plant each ten inches, sowing at any
time, from the first of July to the first Of
September.
Turnips make an excellent feed for milct
cows, and if sufficiently mild, give quality
and quantity to butter half bushel daily
will not affect the taste Of either they keeI
well until Nay, if put in pits of twenty five
or thirty bushels and covered with six inches
of straw, and four of dirt can be ply
raised, often costing only from FIVE to Ter
cents per bushel, and of the many varieties
the white fat is perhaps the best. being g
quick growth and rarely strong. %. BurrGS
IN Ohio Farmer