THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



429 



them consecutively, I will state how I would proceed 

 ia the cultivation of them. 



No. 1. The Sileslan Beet for Sugar or Distillation. — 

 It should be drilled before the last day in April, at least 

 Slbs. to the acre, at 18 inches apart, and hoed out in 

 the row to 16; but as the object is to obtain as much 

 weight per acre as possible, and yet have no roots 

 heavier than 4^1bs., it should be experimentally tried at 

 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 inches distance from row to row. 

 It seems extraordinary, but it is the fact, that those roots 

 which weigh more than as above contain no more sugar 

 than the smaller root ; and also the largest proportion 

 of saccharine is found in that part of the root which 

 grows into the ground. 



There are two sorts advised to be grown — the Silesian 

 green- necked, and also the red-necked. Both should 

 be sown, and from them the most down-growing roots 

 selected for seed, which should be grown in England 

 with great care and attention to these small but im- 

 portant matters. 



They may be grown on all soils, which should be 

 well cleaned, pulverized, manured, and subsoil ploughed. 

 The latter is important for all descending roots. 



As soon as large enough, single out, and thenceforth 

 keep them well hoed. 



In September they are ready for lifting. The neck 

 must be cut off with the top, and the root well cleaned ; 

 they aie then clampeJ, leaving the whole ridge of the 

 clamp open till all evaporation has passed away. 



I cannot find anyone abroad who has grown more 

 than 20 tons per acre ; but I cannot help thinking we 

 might exceed that without too much enlarging our roots, 

 because at 18 inches by 16 we should have 21,900 

 roots per acre, which at Slbs. each would give us about 

 25 tons ; but in all my views and calculations in this 

 matter I have always considered 20 tons as the average 

 crop of beet to be grown in England. 



Were distilleries or sugaries established in England, 

 as I hope they will be, these 20 tons would be worth 

 I5s. per ton ; the residue from them would be on an 

 average 10 tons, which would be bought by the grower 

 at 10s. per ton, and brought back to his farm. Thus, 

 allowing Is. per ton for cartage from one to two miles, 

 the farmer would be in this position — he would have ^9 

 per acre in his pocket, and 10 tons of cattle food, that 

 would be equal for feeding purposes to 20 tons of the 

 raw root. 



The only extra expense in growing this compared 

 with swedes, would be, that the seed costs more, and 

 the roots require better cleaning ; against that, I will 

 set the advantage of having the roots well cut and ma- 

 cerated and at home in the farm-yard. 



They are frequently transplanted after an early crop 

 of rape, &c. ; they might if required be grown after 

 tares or a first cut of a thin plant of clover, which is 

 unadvisable to leave for a second crop ; of course such 

 a crop of beet would only be half the weight of the 

 other. 



This crop is what I call a gold mine for the British 

 farmers. 



They can easily try it ; and after having grown them, 

 have the roots analyzed, and thus prove the quantity of 

 saccharine that may be produced from them in England. 



But they must be submitted to this as soon as taken 

 up, as after Christmas the sugar in them gradually and 

 weekly decreases, till in April they are no longer use- 

 ful, except as food for cattle. Thus my brother-farmer 

 will understand how the half of their weight left at the 

 factory is no loss to him, and how the half in residue 

 returned to the farm is equal to the whole raw root. 

 The common wurtzel increases in its value in England 

 as cattle food after Christmas, exactly in the same ratio 

 as it decreases in value for sugar or spirit, consequently 



here is a demonstration that what is sold for manufactur- 

 ing is valueless to cattle. This is an important subject 

 for reflection, because it seems a paradox that the ex- 

 traction of saccharine should improve the feeding 

 properties of a root ; but 'tis a fact. Last week I saw 

 some sheep feeding on it in sheds, at the farm of Mr. 

 Weeks, of Bolney, in Sussex, and he declared they went 

 on better, and were fatted in a shorter time than he 

 ever had any on swedes. 



Abroad I cannot find any one give either sheep or 

 bullocks more than half the weight of raw turnips we 

 allow them per day. 



However, I have done all I can to put this fairly be- 

 fore my brother-farmers; they do not respond to it, 

 and I can only say I am sorry I have lost my time for 

 them ; but I have the pleasant reflection I have done 

 my best. 



No. 2. The Winter Peas are sown directly after har- 

 vest ; but to produce seed they might be now sown, and 

 a little thinner than we do ours. It would be a great 

 advantage if we could find a pea we might harvest a 

 fortnight earlier than any we now have, It remains to 

 be proved if this would enable us to do so. They should 

 be sown at once. 



No. 5.— The Hybrid Red Clover.— This is a distinct 

 variety, growing as much weight as the old red. 



It bears a flower, white inside and red out, exactly as 

 if a white flower had been dipped in a red colouring, 

 and so stained the tips of it. It is well worth sowing in 

 clover-sick land, or on land being laid down to grass, 

 as it lasts in the ground some years. 



No. 4. The Green-neclied Carrot should be sown 

 immediately ; 4 lbs. to the acre, in clean and deep land ; 

 the more sandy the better ; the land should be well sub- 

 soiled, and if well done, 16 tons an acre may be grown. 

 Comparing their value for horse food, with oats or hay, 

 keeping in view their relative nutritive qualities, they 

 would amount to a large sum per acre. They are not 

 considered genei-ally in this way ; but it is a fair one, 

 and every farmer who has land that will produce a 

 tolerable crop even, should grow sufficient for the use 

 of his horses. There are two other sorts worthy 

 of trial by the side of the green-necked — the Vosges 

 carrot and the Breteuil carrot : it is one of their advan- 

 tages that they do not mind a dry summer. 



Of all root crops perhaps, they are those which can 

 be grown with the least manure. Deep tillage, tender 

 soil, and permeable subsoil are of more consequence to 

 them. 



They should be hoed out to 16 or 18 inches distance, 

 according to the quality of the land. 



No. 5. Rape. — There arc two sorts, besides the 

 Italian ren rape. The autumn sort is the best cropper 

 and the most commonly grown. I will here only speak 

 of the spring rape or, or colza as it is always called 

 abroad. It should be sown now, and hoed out as soon 

 as it is ready, to a foot each way. In Belgium it is not 

 sown till May, but their springs are later than ours, and 

 as our autumns are not always so fine as theirs, in all 

 our trials of their crops we should get in the seeds as 

 early as we can, after we think we arc safe from frosts. 

 It requires to be kept clean. It is not a crop which I 

 think would be preferred here to the winter rape (which 

 I will speak of by-and-bye), but in an experimental 

 field of Flemish crops it should not be excluded. This 

 spring colza is cut when the pods turn yellow, but it 

 does not come off in time to obtain turnips afterwards, 

 which is always the case with the winter rape. We 

 might expect the produce to be about 3 quarters per 

 acre, which is now worth 70s. per qr. The chaff is 

 useful to mix with the beetroot-distillery residue. It 

 is thus used abroad, and the haulm is good for litter. 



