260 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



to the consumer, and, where the crown is left unbroken and 

 only the lower leaves taken, without injury to the producer. 



Reports have been furnished me of crops of fifty-eight tons per 

 acre, and, in other cases, of forty-eight tons, and fifty-six tons, 

 per acre ; this, of course, after they were topped and cleaned. 

 These, however, are very extraordinary crops, the common 

 yield being about thirty tons. They are much valued for 

 milch cows, and for fatting cattle. Experiments have been 

 made to test the value of mangel-wurzel compared with Swede 

 turnips in the fattening of cattle. The experiments which have 

 come under my knowledge the estimate of the increase of 

 weight of the animals experimented upon having been made 

 from external measurement, and not in scales do not appear to 

 me decisive, but only indicative of considerable superiority in 

 fattening properties of the mangel-wurzel over the Swedes. The 

 yield of mangel-wurzel, per acre, under good cultivation, is con 

 siderably greater. Caution is to be used in giving them to 

 milch cows, as they are apt to produce scouring. From this 

 effect I have suffered in the free use of them with my own 

 cows. It is strongly advised, likewise, not to use them until the 

 spring or late in the winter ; and I have known farmers to keej 

 them sound and fresh into August. They are considered as not 

 unfavorable to wheat, which may be sowed after them. The 

 seed of the beet should be well soaked before sowing; and it is 

 advised, in the event of transplanting them to fill up vacancies, 

 not to place the plant lower in the ground than it formerly stood, 

 as otherwise, if planted to the top, it will send out shoots from 

 the top, and become scraggy or forked. 



Carrots are cultivated to some extent, and much valued. 

 There is nothing, however, peculiar in the cultivation. The 

 land should be deeply ploughed and highly manured. They 

 are usually cultivated on a flat surface ; but I am satisfied that 

 the ridge cultivation at a distance of two feet, so as to plough 

 between them, would be far preferable. The seed should be 

 sprouted before sowing and mixed with sand, in order to avoid 

 its being sown too thickly. If sowed on ridges, they will be 

 much more easily cultivated and kept clean ; and they should be 

 thinned out to the distance of six inches apart. The Belgiai: 

 white carrot has come greatly into favor in England. A d^ 



