The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-08-24

There il scarcely another crop with
which we are acquainted, that has been
and still is 10 much neglected rs the ruta
baga, In England and throughout
northern Europe generally, they could
dispense without almost any other crop
better than this. 1t forms the basis Of
all their rotation and stOck-raising sys-
tens, and could not possibly be- ignored
except to the absolute destruction OF
their agricultural prosperity. How dit
lcrcnt matters are here, when, if any,
where ON coos green earth, we need all
the aids n bcncIircnt providence has
given rs to sustain ~ through our pres
ent struggles, and place us once more in
the very al of material ]aIilucncr and
prOspcrity' We are aware that the i'm
precision prevails throughout the north
and to Il considerable extent throughout
the south also, that the whole turnip
tribe requires 4 cooler and moistcr atmOs-
phcrc than ours to attain its perfection.
Much practical experience has convinced
Us that this is far from being the case.
We have raised and seen raised ruta
hHgas by the acre, both north and south,
and we here put ON record, for the ben.
eft of others, the fact that the best crop
OF rnta bngaS We ever saw we raised in
the poor, pincy-wood soil of Louisiana;
our crop IN one OCCASION averaging fully
thirty tons per acre, But to produce
this result thorough preparation and
good culture are of cOursc Indispensable.
Tn" soil best suited to the ruta baga is
y deep, rich, sandy loan. If practicable,
this should he %cow-penncd Tor two on
three months, and deeply plowed and
cross plowcd until the fcrtilining clc-
m"nts are intimately incorporated with
the soil 10 the depth of ten or twelve
inches. Then on the fifteenth or TWEEN.
Ielh OF this month (July), or as soon
thereafter ~ possible, we should apply
cotton seed meal aud supcrphosphatc o
lime, equal quantities of each, at the rate
oi 1--WE hundred on one Thousand pound,
to the acre according to the Original fer
tIIlty of the soil, We should apply this
FERTILIZER in drills, as being more efficient
amt economical. The drills shouId be-
deeply laid of, two feet aud a half or
three feet apart, the fertilizer even scat |
tered IN the bottom and on the sides. and |
then high beds thrown upon the drill
burrows, rs bedding up for cotton or y o
thtocs. Kun u harrow upon the top of
the beds, lay Oft the wv in the center
with a narrow marker, and SOW the seed
the rate of one pound to the acre, COW
lightly with a rake, and, if very dry
weather, pass a roller over the drill. As
~ the plants are well out of the
ground sprinkle them while the dew is
IN them with hard wood SCOT or plaster
in which Il little kerosene has ben
mixed, and cultivate often and care
AS o as all danger from gr%asshoppcr
and fly il past, thin rut to twelve inches
in the driIl. Unless the soil is very light
and iriablc, the plants when two or
inches high should he closely run
around" with II narrow scooter or bull
and then the dirt lightly thrown
them with n halfshovcl or small turn
plow. II this is done before the bulb bc.
'iins 10 enlarge very perccptibly it will
the tops COED start ahead of the
weeds and grass, and all the subsequent
utilization they will need, will I've an nc.
'lslolral "scraping" with the hoe. OF
III the varieties we have tried, nothing
: better than the old purple top nta
,aga or amber globc.-Souhp Planta.