When Sir Walter Raleigh undertook his expedition to South
America, the object of which failed, he had the good fortune from his
taste for botany to render to his country, and to the world at large, a
more essential service, by the introduction of one single vegetable,
than was ever achieved by the military exploits performed before or
since that period [Footnote: The Potatoe was introduced by Sir Walter
Raleigh, on his return from the River Plate, in the year 1586.]. It has
not only been the means of increasing the wealth and strength of
nations, but more than once prevented a famine in this country when
suffering from a scarcity of bread-corn and when most of the ports which
could afford us a supply were shut by the ambition of a powerful enemy.
63. BRASSICA Napus. TURNIP.--Turnips afford the best feed for sheep in
the autumn and winter months. It is usual to sow them as a preparatory
crop for Barley, and now very frequently for a crop of Spring Wheat.
Turnips are not easily raised but where some kind of manure is used to
stimulate the land. In dry seasons the crop is often destroyed by the
ravages of a small beetle, which perforates the cotyledons of the
plants, and destroys the crop on whole fields in a few hours.
Many remedies against this evil are enumerated in our books on
husbandry. The best preventative, however, appears to be the putting
manure on the ground in a moist state and sowing the seeds with it, in
order to excite the young plant to grow rapidly; for the insect does not
hurt it when the rough leaf is once grown.
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