200 tlOW TO MAKE THE FARM PAY. 



are still green, are very palatable food for stock. Every par- 

 ticle is greedily eaten by cows, horses, and sheep. This is a 

 strong argument in favor of late planting. The Long Orange 

 we deem the best variety for field culture. 



General Cultivation of Boot Crops. Nothing but deep 

 plowing will do for root crops. Fifteen inches deep is the 

 shallowest j)lowing we can. commend for them. Give the 

 roots a chance to run down straight and smooth. Eepeated 

 plowings, and harrowings, dragging and rolling until the ground 

 is mellow and free from clods, is the proper preparation of the 

 soil, in connection with heavy manuring. Eoots cannot be 

 made profitable without heavy manuring. Put on five to ten 

 cords of good compost to the acre. The compost of muck and 

 liquid manure which we have previously recommended, is 

 especially valuable here. The selection of seed is of vital im- 

 portance with this crop. The only sure mode of procuring 

 good seed is to raise it yourself. Select good sized smooth 

 roots, and as soon as the ground is settled in the spring, plant 

 them out in rows. The seed stalks will grow with numerous 

 branches, and the heads will ripen at different seasons. They 

 should be out off as they mature. The husks should be rubbed 

 or threshed off, some clear, dry, cold day in winter. The seed 

 is cleaned by sinking. Put it all in a tub, fill with water, stir 

 the seed slightly, skim off the chaff* and light seed, and turn off 

 the water ; repeat this operation two or three times, and you 

 will oply have full plump seeds, nearly every one of which will 

 germinate and give a good root. Here is the first and great 

 secret of raising large crops of fine roots. It can never be done 

 without this careful selection of the seed. After washing, spread 

 them out on a cloth. Let it dry three or four days, (unless it is 

 to be sown at once,) turning it every day. Do not diy by a 

 fire. We approve of drilling in all root crops. It is much 



