KEPOET ON THE CULTIVATION OF MANGOLD WTJRZEL. 155 



when there are signs of approaching rain, if possible. It is better 

 to transplant when the ground is dry, or only slightly moist, than 

 when it is wet. Should they require to be watered afterwards, 

 one good soaking is much better than small quantities applied 

 often. We made some experiments in 18G1 on transplanting 

 mangolds, in order to see whether there was anything in the pre- 

 judices of some of our women who undertake our transplanting 

 annually. Each lot consisted of twenty plants. We abstract the 

 following from a considerable number. 



TABLE III.— Experiments on the Transplanting of Mangold "Wurzel, 



1861. 



Plot. Transplanted 2d July 1S61. Observations on 2d August 1S61. 



31. Planted deep, half-way up the Came away without backset, but does 



leaves. not look healthy. 



32. Planted shallow, half the root Despaired of at first, now looking 



bare, and lying flat. fresh, but far behind ; two died. 



33. Large plants, thought likely to By far the best plants ; not one run to 



run to seed. seed ; fresh and healthy. 



34. Do., took H in. offend of tap- Next best to plot 33; none run to 



root (to prevent seeding !) seed. 



35. lh in. taken off tips of leaves. Came slow; the old leaves died, and 



new ones were put forth. 



36. 1| in. off tap-root. Much better than 35 ; but not so good 



as 39 (planted entire). 

 38. Tap-root turned up in the hole. Twelve died ; rest looking fair. 

 41. Plant laid down, and taproot Not so well as 39 (planted with dib- 



pushed in by forefinger. ble). 



87. Put in loosely with a spade. Two died; rest far behind (moist 



weather kept them alive). 



On taking up these roots at the end of the season they were 

 found to be, in general, considerably more " fangy " and difficult 

 to clean than those not transplanted at all. 



Mangolds being deep rooted, should be grubbed as deeply as 

 possible, at least once, say shortly after singling. We rather 

 avoid deep grubbing afterwards, from an idea that it injures the 

 rootlets, which, on examination, will be found ramifying through 

 the friable mould produced by the first deep grubbing. The 

 Norwegian harrow, made suitable for drills, is an excellent im- 

 plement for breaking rough ground and separating the adhering 

 earth from the roots of weeds ; we believe we were the first to 

 have it so adapted. 



Running to Seed. — Many hypotheses exist regarding the cause 

 of mangolds running to seed. Some ascribe it to their being 

 checked by frost in the earliest stages of growth ; and they 

 adduce, in support of this view, the fact of mangolds run- 

 ning to seed much more readily in Scotland than in England. 

 They aver, too, that early sown mangolds suffer, in this re- 



