228 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



horse plow through the alleys several times to keep the 

 earth clean and mellow. As soon as the plants again be- 

 come ten or twelve inches high, bend down and cover them 

 as before, repeating the operation as often as necessary, 

 which is commonly three times the first season. The last 

 time may be as late as September, or later if no frosts occur. 

 By covering the tops in this manner, they change to roots, 

 and the design is to fill the ground as full of roots as possi- 

 ble. When the vacant spaces are all full, there will be but 

 little chance for weeds to grow ; but all that appear must be 

 pulled out. 



The second year. Keep the beds free from weeds ; plow 

 the alleys and cover the tops, as before directed, two or 

 three times during the season. The alleys will now form 

 deep and narrow ditches, and if it becomes difficult to ob- 

 tain good earth for covering the tops, that operation may be 

 omitted after the second time this season. Care should be 

 taken when covering tlie tops, to keep the edges of the beds 

 as high as the middle, otherwise the water from heavy 

 showers will run off, and the crop suffer from drought. 



The third year. Very little labor or attention is required. 

 The plants will now cover the whole ground. If any weeds 

 are seen, they must be pulled out ; otherwise their roots 

 will cause trouble when harvesting the madder. The crop 

 is sometimes dug the third year ; and if the soil and culti- 

 vation have been good, and the seasons warm and favorable, 

 the madder will be of good quality ; but generally, it is much 

 better in quality, and more in quantity, when left until the 

 fourth year. 



Digging and harvesting. This should be done between 

 the 20th of August and the 20th of September. Take a 

 sharp shovel, and cut off and remove the tops with half an 

 inch of the surface of the earth ; then take a plow of the 

 largest size, with a sharp coulter and a double team, and 

 plow a furrow outward, beam-deep, around the edge of the 

 bed ; stir the earth with forks, and carefully pick out all the 

 roots, removing the earth from the bottom of the furrow ; 

 then plow another furrow beam-deep, as before, and pick 

 over and remove the earth in the same manner ; thus pro- 

 ceeding until the whole is completed. 



Washing and drying. As soon as possible after digging, 

 take the roots to some running stream or pump to be washed. 

 Take large, round sieves, two and a half or three feet in 

 diameter, with the. wire about as fine as wheat sieves ; or 



