YALE AGRICULTURAL LECTURES. 125 



from two to four pounds, according to the manner of sowing. 

 The drill sows it very unequally, from the rough surface and 

 varying size of the seed capsules. It is better sown by dib 

 bling with some instrument, at regular distances of twelve 

 inches in the drill. Sow in May or June, about the time of 

 planting corn, and harvest before severe frost. It keeps admi 

 rably, even till the new crop grows again. It is not considered 

 fit for use in England till after Christmas. It is excellent for 

 sneep, cattle, and swine. The latter prefer it to potatoes or 

 carrots. Twenty pounds is not a very large size for this root. 

 The lecturer here exhibited one of his own raising, weighing 

 20 Ibs. The amount per acre of 1,200 or 1,500 bushels is here 

 considered a very good crop, while in France and Germany 

 report? are given of crops almost exceeding belief. Mons. 

 Auguste de Gaspariir, in the Journal d 1 Agriculture Pratique, 

 reports having raised on one-fourth of an acre 127 tons of 

 2,000 pounds each, or 5,080 bushels of beets, at 50 pounds per 

 bushel. He also states that Mons. Koechlin, in Alsatia, raised 

 at the rate of 156 tons per acre, or 6,240 bushels. The roots 

 averaged 374- Ibs. each, and as this allows five square feet for 

 each plant, it is quite within the limits of possibility. 



The carrot is the most esteemed of all the roots for its feed 

 ing qualities. When analyzed it gives but little more solid 

 matter than the other roots, 85 per cent, being water ; but its 

 influence in the stomach upon the other articles of food is most 

 favorable, conducing to their most perfect digestion and assim 

 ilation. This result, long known to practical men, is explained 

 by chemists as resulting from the presence of a substance 

 called pectine, which operates to coagulate or gelatinize vege 

 table solutions, and favors this digestion. Horses are especially 

 benefited by the use of carrots. In that true " high farming" 

 which is most eminently profitable, the culture of roots holds 

 an important place. It requires labor and requires capital ; 

 tat the foolish system of labor-saving, by abstaining from its 

 use, lies at the foundation of very much of the wretched farm- 



