94 BEET-ROOT SUGAR AND 



lower by more thoroughly exposing it to the action 

 of the frosts. This is considered so important in 

 Europe that the plough is often followed by laborers, 

 who, with a spade, take out the earth from the bed 

 of the furrow and lay it on the slice. Our subsoil 

 plough would do that work cheaper and better. 



If, after the fall ploughings, any weeds make their 

 appearance before winter sets in, it is a good plan to 

 pass over the field twice with a harrow, running the 

 second time across the track of the first harrowing. 



In Europe farmers use what they call an " extir- 

 pateur," which is an instrument w r ith teeth sharp and 

 strong, and about fourteen inches long, shaped like 

 those of a cultivator. It differs from our " extirpator." 

 It is used upon the stubble in the autumn, immedi 

 ately after the grains are harvested, to extirpate the 

 weeds, and is a very serviceable instrument. They 

 usually pass twice over the fields with it, making the 

 second track across the first. It is mounted on wheels, 

 is of various sizes, and is drawn by two, three, or four 

 horses. 



If the land is so mellow as not to require a deep 

 ploughing in the fall, manure is put upon the field, 

 and the extirpator is passed two or three times over 

 it. The land is then thoroughly cross-harrowed, and 

 left until spring, when the treatment is the same as 

 if it had been subjected to deep ploughing. 



As soon as the ground is sufficiently warm and dry 

 in the spring, it should be ploughed again, across the 

 furrows of the preceding fall, to a depth of about 

 eight inches, and again thoroughly cross-harrowed. 

 If the nature of the land is wet, or if the upper soil 



