Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-07-11
Ruta Baga or swedish Turr:ips.

Ruta Baga or swedish TurEiips
The experience of last year .wil
doubtless induce more general at
tention to this and similar crops, thi
season, for the supply + iood to stocl
Of every description in England TIL:
is their great stand BY, and yer;
largely by its aid, her agriculture ha!
been brought up to the present hig!
standard, perhaps not excelled even
by that of Holland and Belgium
but with us, although Il very impor.
tant adjunct, in stall feeding, still lol
the same purpose, we have the In'li.
an corn, which the EnglI#i; have not
and it answers our purposc better.
For sheep and milch COWS the Ruta
Baga is fund very nutritious, snr-
passing most other roots; aud it is
good also occasional ly to iced to hor-
ses, if cut fine, and mixed with cut
straw or nay, as an Alternative feed.
1t is also an excellent table vegetable,
is very productive. and ther is more
nutritive matter III it than an. other
of the turnip family it is harder,
and easily kept, and preserves 1T edi-
bic qualities long after other kinds
cease to be fit for table use in Spring.
When intended for food for stock,
early sowing is desirable, say between
the middle and last of June, which
will secure larger roots and 4 heavier
yield; if for table use, tie seeding
may be delayed till'the first up to the
middle of July. This root is deci-
dedly potash plant; in tIl@ morgan
ic elements thereof are ;oun,i rotasi4
lime, sulphuric acid. sod, and '4a-
phorlc acid, the first preponderat rg
Ashes or their equivalent re The mrst
desirable of this ciit,- -ot manure .or
the turnip. Sea weeds are ricn IN
potash, wherever to be conveniently
had, yielding on an average from
eight 10 ten per.c Mt. ; stable all
barn yard manure viii also supply
some po ash; fish furnish also an en-
cellent application, and if formed IN,
to compost with plaster and any rich
earth, would, when reduced, be an
excellent manure for tIlrnips, contain
ing also ph"sphoric acid, lime, chic
ride OF sodium, salt, ETC.; salt will
supply the soda and chlorine, and
plaster Of Paris the sulphuric acid re-
qnised for the turnips.
Thorough preparation Of the soil
is requisite for nearly ali crops, but
in this, it is especially So: when prac-
ticable, plow two CT three times and
iully eight to ten inches deep; reduce
the soil to the fines! tilth by harrow
ing and cross narrowing, an,l the use
of the roller. Ii you SOW broadcast,
the mature should be evenly spread
and plowed in jbstsswhen thus grown.
they "";illrequrc amuch largeramounS
Of manure. If drilling is resorted to,
as is decidedly best. spread the ma
nurc evenly in TIE drills, and run
furrows north and south, from % to
% inches apart and four inches deep,
irrtz- fer,-,---
it the manure, then cover with the
plow and run light harrow over the
burrows.
The next step is to dill! in the seed,
which should be done by - drilling
machine, on tie top cf.tnc line ol the
turrows prepared as above directed
and the worl; il done. u the i,npie-
ment will make the drill, drop tue
seed, cover and roll, ali ut one and
the same operation. which ccoromses
line and labor-and by thc by, eye
ry iar.ner aud gardener should haze
u tdriiins machine Ii you havc pof
such an implement, then stretchaline
along the centre OF the burrows, ami !
with rake or the corner OF Il hoe.
trace Il drill an ieh deep. drop the
:eed from the maeth oil Il bottle, o,
my other contrivancg e! the kind
IN the bottle equal quantities oi seed
ind sand should be placed. md oe
shaken as you prngres~ to
,ecure.an even and thin distribution
If the seed; as the seed IS dropped,
ct = hand fellow with rake. 10 coy
y ihe seed. anil press the <o:i dow9
IN them with the back part o. it.
The manure rtcomnen.lt! w,n.d
,e per acre, ten bushels ashes. t.irr.
" more Of bone dust, two salt, an
me of plaster; throw il ia bulk, lie:
t remain eight 10 len days, saoYeI i!
yer Wei, then broadcast it over the
,rounI, harrow it in and roll; then
ow tho seed, lightly narrow them in
With Il light harrow and roll-or 20
wo-horse loads OF well rotlei b. n
ard and stable manare, OF liz ni
uantity of either half ol ,iic IA
ure should be piowed in eigat. 'ar (;
ther hall four lnche- 'l"cp ihen r,p
ress with Il nixture o. ten 50.h
shes. two do. salt. au,i one DO. pi :
er harrow in the mivrurn. roil SOW
he seed. and harrow It i'r lighav
18th II light harrow. ami >oii a.
round. Other formnlas might b,. q
amed, but anything producing the '
lements contained in iurnips. nell
oncd above, can be applied at the '
or fancy Of the cultivator. l
Soak the seed twenty-four hours in. d
sh oil, then drain off the oil, and s
ry the seed with ashes, sluked lime j
r plaster, or mixture Of any or all
f these-this secures an earlier ger l.
lination, and the "dor is repeilant
, insects, and the oil is oil itself a Ii
lanure. ~ pound Of seed is suAi-
ent for an acre, out to allow for all "
lsualties it is better to SOW u pound s.
nd a half. Less quantities by one s
lird Of the manure and the seed tt
i'll be required if the drill syatem is a
sed. The land should be a deep fer
lie sand or sandy loan. d
As soon as the plants come up, for e.
veral mornings, while the dew is OH ft
em, the plants must be busted over p
ith a mixture composed Of twoparts tt
hes, one part SCOT, and one of plas- y