146 REPOET ON THE CULTIVATION OF MANGOLD WUEZEL. 



the greater succulence, and therefore possibly the greater tender- 

 ness of the plant on nitrogenous manures, increasing its liability 

 to be checked by frost, &c. ; and we think that probably the 

 comparative effects of these manures on mangolds running to 

 seed will be different in every season ; the difference last year 

 was not nearly so striking.) Another presumption which we 

 may draw from these experiments, is the fallacy of judging the 

 weight of crops grown with different manures by appearance 

 when growing. It is deserving of notice, that the difference of 

 the crop of mangolds grown with "10 cwt. superphosphate," and 

 that with " 6 cwt. salt," was not discovered, even when lying on 

 the ground topped and tailed ; and we are led to ask, Might not 

 those grown with superphosphate be of greater specific gravity ? 

 This is very probable ; it was found to be the case last year, and 

 we have forwarded samples of each of the first five plots of man- 

 golds, and the first four plots of swedes and turnips, to Professor 

 Anderson for analysis ; the results of which, it is expected, will 

 throw some further light on the comparative effects of " phos- 

 phatic and nitrogenous manures." 



REPORT ON THE CULTIVATION OF MANGOLD WURZEL. 



By Robert J. Thomson, Grange, Kilmarnock. 



[Premium — Five Sovereigns."} 



Mangold wurzel, or, in botanical phraseology, Beta vulgaris 

 campestris, belongs to the genus Beta, class Pentandria, and order 

 Digynia, of the Linnean classification, and Chenopodea of the 

 natural classification. 



It was introduced into Britain from the Continent during the 

 latter part of last century. The exact year, however, is disputed, 

 but probably it was in 1773, by the celebrated Dr Lettsom. 



It still retains the original German name, many corruptions of 

 which — such as mangle, mangel, wurtzel, wortzel, &c. — have 

 found their way into use, and disfigure even the seed catalogues 

 and circulars of not a few of our leading seedsmen. Any one 

 may satisfy himself, by turning up a good German dictionary, 

 that mangold (meaning beet) wurzel (meaning root), is the proper 

 rendering. It has also been designated " the root of scarcity." 

 This, we think, must have been the invention of some enterprising 

 seed merchant, or, at best, the translation of some would-be 

 German scholar, seeing the word mangel, which has nothing- 

 whatever to do with mangold, means want. 



For many years after its introduction it did not become at all 

 popular, probably because of the mode of culture adopted ; but 

 ultimately it rapidly won the favour of all classes of agricul- 



