The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-08-09
Turnips for Stock.

It is generally conceded that farm
stock require some green ~slcculent
food in Winter in addition o'dry for
are. in order to keep them healthy.
Carrots and beets are usually consider.
ed more nutritious than turnips, but
they cost much more to raise, u 90
not succeed over all kinds of soils or
over so wide a range of country as the
several varieties of turnips. The sec
ton or group Of sorts known under
the general head Of rutabagas are per-
haps a little richer than the late or
FLAT turnips," as they are usually
called {: still, the latter grow SO freely
and mature so quickly, that farmers
usually prefer them to any other vari-
ETY., and they can also be sown upon
land from which some early crop has
been gathered. =,
Wheat, rye, or oats may be turned
under soon after harvest, and If the
land is not rich q slight top-dressing of
is advisable, after which tur-
nips may be sown broadcast and a
rood crop secured. 1t is now time to
prepare land to SOW Fall turnips, and
we will venture say there Is not q far
mel in the country who has not, at
this moment, plenty of land upon
which q supply of these valuable roots
may be grown before the ground
freezes in the Fall. We will also VEN
ture to say that his cattle next Winter
will be made more comfortable, and
come out in the Spring in better con.
dition if given all the turnips they
will eat, than if they had few or none:
The expense Of raising the late sorts Is
a mere nothing beyond the cost of
harvesting and storing. The, land
should be plowed about the last part OF
this month, and the first of August,
give the land another thorough har-
rowing, and then SOW the seed and
harrow in.
The seed should be sown rather
thinly, or the plants will he crowded
and the turnips less in size. One
pound of seed is al abundance for an
acre, costing at most n dollar, and
the yield on good soils frequently
amounts to three or four hundred
bushels. OF course when sown broad
cast, no after-culture is given or re-
uuired unless the land IL more than
ordinarily foul and full Of noxious
weeds and in such cases it is best to
give it, before sowing or at the time,
\ top dressing of five or six bushels OF
salt per acre. This will act as a fer.
tilizer to the turnips, and check the
growth of some of the more tender
kinds of weeds. s.- ...
VARIETIES.
The late turnips are divided into
two classes-the white and yellow
flesh sorts, One of the most prolific
of the former is the long white or cow
horn, which grows more like q man
gel beet than the ordinary varieties OF
the turnip. It is all excellent variety,
grows quickly to a good size, and
Stands half out Of the ground. The
flesh is white and fine grained, and 1t
is a good keeper when stored in a cool
place. Red top, strap leaved, white
globe, and early SNOWFALL, are oil ex-
cellent white fleshed sorts, but the
general favorites are found among the
YELLOw-FI.EsH TURNIPs.
Whether they are really richer or con-
tain more nutritious properties than
the white feshed, We will not pretend
to say but we know that, as q rule,
they are more solid, easier preserved,
and better keepers.
But u tuInip, whether Of first or
second quality, will seldom be refused
by stock in Winter. Our farmers are
far too negligent in this matter Of rails
ing roots for stock, and they lose much
in consequence, both in the health
and general well-betng of their ami
mails and we are confident that one
half of all the disease of which we
hear so much in late Winter and early
Spring, ic due to the want Of an abun.
dance Of succulent food, which could
be easily and cheaply furnished In the
form Of late sown turnips. W. hope
every farmer who reads this will care
fully consider the subject and act &C
cordingly.-N. Y. Weekly Sun.