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Report of the Result of an Experiment on Turnips, 1803.

Kinds of Turnip, and mode of Culture.

Weight, per acre, computed from actual weight on eight square yards, Broad Cast, and about forty-six Drilled.

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Of Bulbs.

Of Tops.

Of both.

Specific gravities of Bulbs,

Nov. 30, 1803;

average of three sizes.

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REMARKS. The soil a sandy loam, all manured alike, and sown at the same time, The yellow bullock, broad cast, supposed to owe its superiority to the drilled, being hoed at the usual distance; whereas the top being very small, the distance ought to have been less, a circumstance not known then, but which showed itself, and was allowed for in the bread cast The yellow bullock found not to stand the frost.

Nov. 30th, 1903.

C. MASON, Experimenter; L. SEYMOUR, and W. TAYLOR, Visitors.

Kinds of Turnips and

mode of culture.

Report of an Experiment on Turnips, in 1803-4.

Weight, per acre, computed from actual weight of eight square yards, in Broad Cast, and about forty-six in Drilled. Of Bulbs.

Of both.

Proportion Reduced of Bulb in the weight of the whole plant.

proportion of
weights of
whole plants

on an acre.

Reduced

proportion of weights of Bulbs on an

acre.

Specific gra- Specific gravity of Bulb, vity of Bulb, on an averagejon an average of 3 sizes, on of 3 sizes, on Nov. 28, 1803. Mar. 28, 1804.

Or Tops.

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Dittto, drilled

at 301 Inches. 29 18 0 0 4 5 3 5 34 3 3

5

,875

1.777

1.809

,907

,790

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Norfolk White,

Broad Cast. 28 17 7 12 12 1 7 5 40 19 7 3 Ditto, drilled

,704

2.133

1.748

at 30 Inches. 32 10 0 0 8 5

2 3 40 15 2 3

,997

2,120

1.966

922

,770

REMARKS -The soil was a rich sandy loam, manure the same to all. The superiority of weight in the broad cast yellow bullock and Swedish, is supposed to have arisen from the smallness of top in these kinds, which was allowed for in heeing the broad cast, but could not be equally allowed for in the drilled, because the latter are " set out," or hoed, for the first time, at an earlier period, when the difference of top is not obvious, nor had this difference been adverted to in regulating the stitches. In the Norfolk white, to which the labourers had been accustomed, the drilled appear with their usual superiority.

J. R. FENWICK, and JAMES CLARK, Visitors ; C, MASON, Experimenter.

Weight of Turnips and other Green Crops at the Schoose, 1807.

Weight of
Bulbs.

Ditto of Tops.

Total.

Width
of
Stitches.

Number of
Turnips in the

Square of

Mean Weight.

Acre.

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White

29 125

4.129

34 94

32

18171

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pay the

of gathering; expense

should it do

I have yet to prove how far the 1000 headed cabbage will
so, it will be a most valuable plant; the leaves are not so subject to decay as the cabbage.
In contrasting the above with the Durham crops of turnips, it will appear that the weight of top, in
the broad cast, greatly exceeds those in the drill; I am strongly inclined to believe, by continuing the
working with the plough and harrow for a greater length of time, an equally heavy crop might be obtained
on the four-foot stitches. The red turnip is not esteemed, in consequence of its weight of top. The
yellow will not stand the weather. The soil a strong loam, inclinable to clay. The turnips after, wheat,
which followed potatoes.
I have been favoured with the following account of the weight of an acre of turnips, the property of Mr.
JOBBINGS, for which he received the premium, at the Ovingham Agricultural Meeting, in Oct. 1807.

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WEIGHT OF GREEN CROPS, (PER ACRE,) 1808.

Winscales white globe turnips.

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34 :

14

33

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Hunday white globe turnips

Cole, broadcast, sown Oct. 17,...... 14 96
Do transplanted, which had failed. 9

...

:

Swedes, sown in drills, Nov. 9

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61

Do transplanted....

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The worst transplanted

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The worst in drills...

11.

9

2

Hundred-headed cabbages

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Kohlrabi

Carrot tops

1774

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After the rate of four stone per day, an acre would supply food for one beast for 600 days. At the rate of two stone of hay per day, it would require seven acres and a half; but say seven, allowing the half acre for the straw likewise given. We ought, in striking the balance in favour of green crops, to take into the account its impoverishment of the ground by hav, and the improvement by green crops. The drill husbandry, under judicious management, is the best mode of improvement, and might be alternately practised with green crops till the end of time.

I assume,

I assume, and in so doing I believe I rather under than over-rate green crops in stating the comparative scale of feeding with hay, as seven to one.

The expense attending the making and getting of hay is, in many parts of the kingdom, very great, and liable to much disappointment, both as to quantity and quality. In the north of England greater comparative losses are sustained, from the effect of climate, in saving our hay than even our grain. There are many chances in favour of green crops, from their being sown at different seasons, and, in case of failure, the being able either to change or to renew them.

The advantages of feeding with green crops are, the saving of rent, and the profits of a great stock upon a small quantity of land. Some deduction from this may be stated for the additional buildings which would be required for stall feeding and soiling; but this would be trifling, and bear no proportion to the returns it might fairly be expected to make, and the rents which would be consequently given in consideration of these conveniencies.

Potatoes and carrots, &c. will exceed seven times the comparative feeding of hay; and both these crops have the further advantage of being conveyed by water carriage, with comparatively little risk, from districts where rents are from 15s. to 20s. per acre, to places where five or six pounds are paid, and labour proportionably high.

What encouragement does this hold out for the improvement of lands distant from populous towns, that have the advantages of water-carriage!

Summer

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