OF SCOTLAND.
565
to keep them in small heaps on the ground, first deprivingthem of their shaws, or leaves, and roots, and then lightlycovering them over with straw, or old thatch. These storeheaps ought to be laid down in a dry and well aired situation,in the neighbourhood of where they are to be consumed, asin the barn-yard of the farm ; and when large quantities areto be secured in this manner, they ought not to exceed threefeet in depth, disposed in the form of a narrow taperingridge, and never closely covered up with earth.
14. When turnips are cultivated for seed, it is usual totransplant a part of the crop, some time in the month ofFebruary ; as experience shows, that when allowed to run upto seed, without transplantation, they are very apt to dege-nerate. Those who make this a business by itself, or connect-ed with the profession of a public gardener and seedsman,select a quantity of the best formed roots yearly, which theytransplant into a piece of well manured soil, in fine tilth. Theyare placed in regular rows, by hand, in hollow drills, previ-ously made by the plough, in the manner already described,and the intermediate ridgelets are split open to cover theroots, leaving the crowns bare. No particular culture is givenafterwards, except keeping the ground free from weeds, bymeans of the hoe. When the pods fill, and the seed beginsto harden, the crop must be carefully watched, to prevent thedepredations of small birds; and the stalks ought to be cutbefore the seed is completely ripe, as in that state the podsurc extremely apt to split open in handling, and to spill theseed. When the stems are sufficiently dried, the crop maybe secured in ordinary ricks, carefully thatched like cornstacks, and threshed out in spring.
The produce of this transplanted crop is sown in the nextsucceeding year, and is not transplanted. The seed of thissecond crop is saved for sale, and is then sold under the name°f transplanted turnip-seed. Thus, having two breaks ofseed turnips, the cultivator may always keep up a stock ofexcellent seed; and every farmer may, if he chooses to take