Cultivation of Arable Land. Madder ColleBing Seeds of. 69 



been removed in the autumn feafon*. Where the bed practice is followed, they 

 are fometimes earthed up in the autumn, after the items have been cut down, by- 

 paring the intervals fomewhat in the manner of thofe of the fparagus kind. This 

 method is however, in general, too expenfiveand troublefome where the plantation 

 is extenlive. 



The crops are to be managed in this manner until the third autumn after plant 

 ing, when the plants will be in a ftate to be taken up. This is known by their 

 (talks beginning to wither, and is generally about October. This bufinefs is -per 

 formed either by trenching the land over with a fpade, or by means of the plough. 

 The firft is the more certain though much lefs expeditious method. In executing 

 it, the workmen dig along the rows to the depth of about two feet, breaking and 

 reducing every fpit of earth as perfectly as pofnble ; each being attended by two 

 perfons who pick out the roots of the madder. But when the planting has been 

 done in narrow beds, it is fometimes the practice to take the roots up, by turnino- 

 the earth into the intervals by &Jpud t or broad threc-tined fork. In this way it is 

 fuppofed that the roots are taken up more perfectly, and with lefs danger of being 

 injured. But the molt ready method is by means of the plough, which, after havino- 

 the earth-board and coulter removed, is pafTed along each fide of the rows, fo as 

 fiilly to loofen the mould ; perfons being employed to pick out the roots, loofening 

 fuch parts of the earth as may have efcaped the action of the plough by their 

 fpades. 



When the roots have been taken up, they mould be expofed fome time to the air, 

 in order that they may be rendered fo dry as to be cleared from the mould. They 

 are then to be conveyed to a kiln, fuch as is employed for the purpofe of drying 

 malt or hops, where they are to be brought into fuch a ftate of dryncfs as to be per 

 fectly brittle : this is done to prevent the danger of their being injured by becoming 

 mouldy, or from running into a ftate of fermentation ; but much caution is necef- 

 fary in conducting the procefs. After this they are packed up in bags in order to 

 be difpofed of to the dyer, who reduces them into a powder, by a mill, before they 

 are made ufe of as a colouring ingredient. 



The beft madder is that which, on being broken, has a brightilh-red or pur- 

 plifh appearance, without any yellow calt. 



In order to collect the feed of the madder plant, it is neceffary to let the plants 

 remain in the field till the feed is almolt wholly ripe, which is generally in the 

 month of September; the heads are then to be feparated from the (terns ; and cx- 



* Corrected Agricultural Report of Kent, 



