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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



and he ventured to say that he should have established, if not 

 quite " a model farm," yet one at least that would serve as an 

 example and specimen of what could be done, proceedin^r on 

 the principles he had mentioned, and with the aid of the West 



of England Laud Improvement Company. He sincerely be- 

 lieved that institution capable of rendering great service to the 

 landed interest, which had not hitherto been invoked as he 

 hoped it hereafter would be by the landowners of this district 



THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER AND PERMANENT CULTURE 

 OF MANGOLD WURZEL. 



Mr. Scott, of Broom Close, recently gave a lecture at 

 Boroughbridge, on the " Cultivation of Mangold Wurzel," 

 as a root now occupying so much the attention of farmers 

 generally. The following is from Mr. Scott's paper: — 



" GeiitlemcD,— I can assure you I feel no little diflSdence in 

 bricging before you the subject I am about to do, as it is, 

 perhaps, one of the most important connected with our avoca- 

 tion, forming, as it does, one of the grand principia of agricul- 

 tural economy; for not only is the root crop of essential value 

 in itself, but it also lays the fouudatioa, and forms the basis 

 of operations for the succeeding cereals. The failure or suc- 

 cess of its cultivation must not only be of vital importance to 

 the farmer, but raust materially affect the interests of the 

 community at large. I vull endeavour to the best of my 

 ability to give you the results of my observation, and lay before 

 you the conclusions at which I have arrived, from my experi- 

 ence in the cultivation of root crops ; trusting you will not 

 forget that the difference in soils, climate, situation, &c :must 

 be taken into consideration, and that you will apply only to 

 your use such of ray principles as seem to meet your own in- 

 dividual cases. As mamjold wurzel appears to be causing 

 quite a revolution in the cultivation of root crops in the North 

 of England, I will commence with that invaluable root. The 

 words mangold wurzel signifies the ' root of scarcity ;' but I 

 flatter myself, we shall soon apply a very opposite term, namely 

 — the ' root of plenty.' Wa read that this plant was first 

 introduced into England more than three hundred years Dgo 

 fforn Germany, where it had been some time used for cattle- 

 feeding and sugar-making purposes. We are told that the 

 ancient Greeks held it in high estimation. In its native cli- 

 mate, which is warmer than that of England, the mangold fares 

 much better, and grows to a larger size than we have yet been 

 able to produce it. Yet the seasons of late have so far favoured 

 the extension of its culture in our own country as to displace, 

 to a great extent, Swedish and other turnips, and are more 

 certain, whether on soils excessively strong or eilicioua : yet I 

 fear some of our sand-land neighbours are over-doing the thing 

 by growing the breadth they are wont to do, unless they take 

 means to consume at least one-half of the roots on the land 

 upon which they are grown. And even this method would 

 be discounting the roots, as they are never at perfection until 

 April, at which time the farmer ought to have the laud sown 

 ■with grain. I have occasionally drilled alternately every 8 or 

 16 ridges (the latter I prefer), and consumed the turnips on 

 by sheep ; and, by placing the cake or corn troughs on the 

 naked ground, no difference was perceptible in the succeeding 

 crops. In preparing land for a mangold crop, which should 

 invariably succeed a cereal crop, the scarifier shculd be applied 

 as early as couveuient, after the removal of the sheaves. For 

 this purpose I would particularly recommend Coleman's culti- 

 vator. I would urge the necessity of arresting the onward 

 progress of couch, &c., at the earliest opportunity, for these 

 penetrate the soil in a most surprising manner when divested 

 of the p;raiu crop. I remember hI•.^•iI^g proved this during a 



fickle harvest. I had secured the wheat crop in straight rows, 

 and had skimmed between them to the depth of two inches, 

 which was sufficiently deep to go below the vertical roots then 

 ready to penetrate the earth. About three weeks elapsed ere 

 the remainder of the field coulJ he skimmed ; when, instead 

 of two inches, the shares had to work 3^ in., in order to un- 

 dermine the twitch roots. Tiic surface cleaned, we proceed 

 to the next operation, viz. :— that of ploughing. But, previous 

 to this, which ought to be done in November or December, the 

 fold-yard manure should be applied over the surface; for this 

 I think is now a settled question, that autumn or winter ma- 

 nuring is decidedly preferable to applying the manure during 

 the dry months of spring, at the time of sowing. My own 

 experience has satisfactorily proved to me that this is a step 

 in the right direction in modern farming. By adopting the 

 latter-named period for manuring, thousands of acres of stiff 

 soils might be made available for a root crop, which a course 

 of spring tilling prohibits. After dashing the manure, and 

 ploughing to the depth of eight or nine inches, with a plough- 

 share not less than 9 in. in breadth, as soon as possible, espe- 

 cially on strong soils, turn back the furrows, and draw the 

 ridges — a plan indispensable on retentive clays — if even done 

 when the soil was apparently too wet for the operation ; for 

 with all that mechanical science has done for us in producing 

 efficient machinery and implements, by which extraordinary 

 achievements are accomplished, we have, as yet, no means of 

 pulverizing the soil so cheaply and so effectively as is done by 

 utmospJieric influences. Should the winter prove favourable, 

 the ridge harrow might be applied, and any roots or weeds 

 gathered off, and the ridges reversed ; but, should the weather 

 not admit of ridging during winter, the surface, pulverized by 

 the frost, should not be lost sight of, but the root crop drilled 

 on the ' flat.' If on a .''oil of medium texture, and not ridged 

 during winter (which ought to be accomplished if possible) the 

 furrow slice should be ploughed early in March, nfterwards 

 crossed by a grubber or plough ; but in no instance should a 

 cross ploughing take place previous to a second longitudinal 

 one. Having arrived then at the season of sowing, which 

 should commence (weather permitting) about the middle of 

 April, the land having previously received from six to eight 

 cwt. of salt per acre — an indispensable application for man- 

 golds—the ridges, if not already drawn, should be formed 26 

 to 28 inches apart, and the guano (if any) sown in the drills. 

 But I would caution my brother farmers against using guano 

 along with fold-yard manure, for, after various experiments, I 

 am convinced that we do not get pay for the guano when so 

 used ; that is, the extra produce of bulbs does not compensate 

 for the extra cost. The farm-yard manure, therefore, should 

 be used alone near the homestead, and artificial alone at a dis- 

 tance from the same, which would effect a considerable saving 

 in carriage, the cost of which many farmers underrate ; for, if 

 we have to grow wheat at 40s. per quarter, we must, in addi- 

 tion to growing the greatest possible amount of produce of 

 every description, studiously avoid superfluous horse and 



