200 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



shallow channel for the convenience of irrigating the whole 

 field, 8cc. That part of the alley which is not occupied may 

 be sown with legumes. 



The madder-seed is sown broadcast, in the proportion 

 of from twenty-five to thirty pounds per acre, about the end 

 of April. In a fortnight or three weeks, the young plants 

 begin to appear; and, from this time to the mouth of Sep- 

 tember, care must be taken to keep the ground well water- 

 ed and free from weeds. 



1 If the plants are examined in Autumn, they will be 

 found surrounded with small yellow offsets, at the depth of 

 two inches; and early in September the earth from the 

 alleys is to be dug out, and laid over the plants of madder, 

 to the height of two or three feet,* With this the first 

 year's operation ceases. 



* The second year's work begins in May, with giving the 

 beds a thorough weeding ; and care must be taken to sup- 

 ply them with plenty of water, during the Summer. In 

 September the first crop of seed will be ripe ; at which time 

 the stems of the plants may be mown down, and the roots 

 covered a few inches with earth, taken as before out of the 

 alleys. 



4 The weeding should take place as early as possible in 

 the Spring of the third year ; and the crop, instead of being 

 left for seed, may be cut three times, during Summer, for 

 green fodder; all kinds of cattle being remarkably fond 

 of it. 



In October the roots are taken up, the offsets carefully 

 separated, and immediately used to form a new plantation ; 

 and the roots, after being diied, are sold, either without 

 further preparation, or ground to a coarse powder, and 

 sprinkled with an alkaline lye. 



< The roots loose four-fifths of their weight in drying; 

 and the produce of an acre is about two thousand pounds 

 weight of dry saleable madder. 5 



Madder usually sells for about thirty-two dollars per hun- 

 dred.; so that the produce of an acre, as above stated, would 

 amount to six hundred and forty dollars. 



MANGEL-WURTZEL (Beta Altissima.) There are 

 varieties of this species of the beet, some of which are 

 more productive than others. Mr. Peters says those of 

 a rosecolored skin, with the interior solid and white, not 

 laminated and mottled, like the common beet, are the best. 

 lie says it is better than the common beet for the table ; 

 and that its leaves while young are, for this purpose, fully 

 equal to the Spinage. 





 * Inches, \VQ suspect it should be, instead of feet. 



