Composition of Orange Globe Mangolds, Bulbs and Tops. 205 



A glance at the preceding Table shows that the proportion of 

 water in the mangolds from the different plots varies from 89^ to 

 92J per cent., round numbers. 



The lowest percentage of water found, that is 8'J*479, is higher 

 than the average amount of water in a well-matured mangold 

 grown in a warm season and a warm and suitable soil. The 

 highest percentage of watei- found, that is 92*65 per cent., is as 

 great as that found in spongy or very watery white turnips ; in 

 well-matured and sourxl white turnips the percentage of water 

 seldom exceeds 90 per cent., and in particularly sweet and firm 

 turnips grown on good soils, specially suited for that crop, I have 

 found as little as 89 per cent. 



It thus appears that mangolds are sometimes grown in Eng- 

 land which, weight for weight, contain less solid feeding than 

 white turnips. The fact is, the mangold-crop does not do Avell 

 on cold and wet soils, nor in hilly exposed districts, where the 

 summer's temperature is always moderate and frequently so low 

 as to render it unadvisable to venture out in the evening without 

 a top-coat. 



Under such circumstances mangolds remain watery and do 

 not ripen properly in the field. This I suspect was the case with 

 the mangolds experimented upon. 



In the Table overleaf the composition of the same roots is given 

 in detail. 



An inspection of the preceding Table suggests the following 

 observations : — 



1. The proportion of sugar in the mangolds from plot I\o. 7 

 is unusually small. In this case the large amount of water and 

 comparative large proportion of woody fibre plainly shows the 

 unripe state of the root. 



2. This root, notwithstanding its unripe condition, contained 

 quite as much fiesh-forming substances and mineral matter as 

 several that were found to be much richer in sugar and contained 

 less water. 



There cannot be any doubt that No. 7 was innutritious, and 

 we are presented here with direct evidence of the mistake of 

 estimating the feeding qualities of roots by their percentage of 

 nitrogenous constituents. 



3. The smallest amount of nitrogenous substances was found 

 in No. 4, and was associated here with the highest percentage of 

 sugar. Fully one-half of the dry matter in this root consisted 

 of sugar, a constituent which more than any other regulates the 

 relative fattening properties of similar articles of cattle food. 



4 With respect to the percentage of sugar in the remaining 

 mangolds, it will be seen that it varied from 4^ to 5^ per cent, 

 in round numbers. This is a lower percentage than I have found 



