Omaha daily bee., 1880-07-14
Turpip Culture

It seems strange that when the
feeding qualities of turnips have been
so long been recognized in foreign
countries, that they have been so long
in e-tablishing themselves here for a
Ike purpose, and as the product of an
acre is 30 large, and aside from its
feeding qualities, their sanitary effect
upon stock Ed beneficial, its seems a.
if the farmers-not only stock r~aisers,
but dairy men-would more generally
adops the practice of raising this crop,
and using them judicicusly IS a win
ter feed, to vary the monotony Of I'm
charging hay and cornmeal. The
turnjp Is not a very discriminating
plant, and any good soil free from
weeds. and kept 80, will produce tur.
nips, though a loamy or we'll
fertilized sandy soil will best
succeed. If the crop is dried in, the
rows should be about fifteen inches
apart, and after the crop has estab-
lished itself it ahould be ,hinnsddown
to two or three plants to the foot. If
the crop is for table use new land
should be selected, as land that has
bsen cropping long is liable to impart
a strong, unpalatable taste. The crop
may be sown at any time after the
weather becomes settled in the spring,
but for stock feeding the frat half Of
July will be best suited, both for the
convenience of gathering and beoause
the turnip fayors cool, moist weather,
which The late fall months furnish.
The ways that turnips can be sown
and yet not require a special pr.para-
ton OF the land are many. l know a
farmer who, after the last hoeing of
his potatoes, scAtters the seed tbinly
along the rows, and when the potatoes
are dug the dirt is pulled back into
the last hill, and the tornips are not
disturbed. The fine soil that works
down about them Father helps han
Injuries them, and a big crop of tur.
nips usually results. Sowing among
the corn is another not Objectionable
method, for the %turnips will not draw
very much upon the soil until after
the corn is cut up, and the after crop
willprovea far more profitable one than
planting pumpkins among the corn
and far less IN INJURIOUS to the develop
men. Of the ears. Among root crops,
rutabagas hold a favorable position,
but cannot be sown broadcast with
any certainty; and if labor is to be
taken into account, the turnip is the
crop requiring the least labor. With
Increased attention to its cultivation,
there has come into notice a score of
new varieties, and in addition to the
old famili ? names, we hear of the
new White Egg, Golden Ball, etc,
each excellent, but will be a long while
in superseding the Early Dutch, Pur-
pie Top, Strip Leaf, and for more
southern ATTITUDES, the Long White
holds q conspicuous place, with no real
rival. If the turnip is to be
fed to stock, it is not
necessary to cut of the tops, esp3-
cially if you have a root cellar where
a low, even temperature can be kept,
and the green relieh of the leaves, to-
gether with the bulb, will cause them
to be eagerly devoureds With tur-
nips, fed tops aud all to the sheep,
with a small additional quantity of
grain, either oats or corn, the amount
of hay required for a flock Of sheep
would be very small. If our farmers
would make up their minds to give
this root a trial, their superior feeding
qualities would meet with prompt
recognition. JOHN ZYFJ.