Cultivation of 3Iangold-wurtzel or Beet. 405 



I spread at the same time 10 cwt. of woollen waste to the acre. 

 This mixture is covered in, when it will do well, by a O-inch 

 furrow — followed by a subsoil plough stirring the subsoil ano- 

 ther 6 inches ; this operation ought to be completed before the 

 end of February. 



If any of those circumstances which will sometimes derange 

 the operations of the farmer have prevented his spreading his 

 manure, so as to get it ploughed in before the end of February, 

 and if the surface soil is in a good state, let him sow 2 cwt. of 

 guano broadcast, when he harrows the land to prepare for the 

 drill, and 2 cwt. more at each of tlie 2 first lioeings ; and he will, 

 if his fortune equals mine, find a very satisfactory crop of beet, 

 followed by a very good wheat crop and excellent seeds. 



The seed-bed ought to be in such a state that the capillary 

 attraction will supply the seed with sufficient moisture. 



This condition cannot be secured on tenacious soils, unless 

 they are reduced by frost, so that the earth is finely divided, and 

 consequently its parts are in contact with each other. 



About March 20th harrow the land, and, if sufficient reduction 

 of the soil has not been effected by frost, roll it and harrow 

 again till it is fine. 



The best seed-time in this locality is, in my opinion, from 

 April 7th to April 10th. It is useless in general to sow it 

 earlier, because the temperature is, I think, too low for the 

 germination of the seed. 



My experiments do not lead me to believe that this compara- 

 tively early sowing produces many more runners, and our summers 

 are too short to admit any unnecessary delay in sowing. The 

 seed should not be buried more than three-quarters of an inch. If 

 the weight of the drill-coulter would put it in at a greater depth 

 I employ counteracting weights, working over })ullies fixed on a 

 wooden rail, with great advantage. If the soil will not bed well 

 to the seed and keep it moist, do not liesitate to roll and harrow 

 after sowing. I have seen the earliest and best plant in the field 

 on the track of a cart-wheel which had passed over it in leading 

 off a ton of gathered pebbles. At the time of sowing give 1 cwt, of 

 guano to the acre, and a 2nd and 3rd cwt. at the first and second 

 horse-hoeing. iNIy rows are drilled on the flat 24 inches apart; 

 1 endeavour to set the plants IG inches in the row. After the 

 se )nd horsc-hoeing I put two light horses into a grubber with 

 five tines, and stir the soil to the depth of 6 inches. This should 

 be done as soon as the j)lant is well established, lest it should 

 break the surface roots too mucii ; but done at the proper time 

 it is very beneficial in i)n»m()tiiig the rapid growth of the beet. 

 I give 7^. })er acre for singling the plants and giving them an 



