CHAPTER XIII. 



Exhibition Roots. 



It may be interesting to many, especially yoimg ?*'^*"i ^'*** 

 people, to know how to grow monstrous roots for Exhibition, 

 exhibition purposes. It is like feeding and preparing 

 animals to win prizes — more for glor\' than for profit. 

 However, it is interesting to demonstrate that one 

 small mangel-wurzel seed planted, say, on the 10th 

 of April, will, by the 10th of October, ^vith proper 

 care, develop into a root weighing over sixty pounds. 

 The first thing to be done in the preparation of soil 

 is to imderdrain it ; then early in the autumn prepare 

 a clover sod as before described for mangel-^-urzels 

 and sugar-beets. In October, subsoil the rotted soil 

 ten or twelve inches deep; then give a hea\y coat 

 of well-rotted farm manm-e. Incorporate this thor- 

 oughly with the surface soil fwhich is simply rotted 

 sod) by cultivating and harrowing several times. 

 Make shallow drills five feet apart, by plowing two 

 or three rounds to each drill. Shape the drills with 

 a garden rake. After this cover all the surface with 

 thoroughly rotted manure. The seed should be 

 sown early in April, on the drills, at intervals of 

 three feet. Sow five or six seeds together. After 

 the plants have grown one or two inches, thin out to 

 three" plants, and eventually to the one most \'igor- 

 ous. Follow the above plan for mangel-wurzel and 

 sugar-beets. Carrots and parsnips may be sown 

 two feet apart. In order to get turnips full grown 

 for exhibition they should be sown early in May, and 

 afterwards thinned as indicated for mangels. Sow 

 salt and land plaster (gypsimi) over the whole 

 siuface. Loosen the surface soil frequently dining 

 the whole season, and on no account allow a crust to 

 form on the surface. In growing mammoth roots 

 and vegetables for exhibition, much valuable know- 

 ledge may be gained by the grower. 



