320 THE FARMER'S AND 



If there is no running stream convenient, it can be done 

 at, a pump. Take large, round sieves, 2J or 3 feet in 

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

 if these cannot be had, get from a hardware store sufficient 

 screen-wire of the right fineness, and make frames or 

 boxes about two and a half feet long and the width of the 

 wire, on the bottom of which nail the wire. In these 

 sieves or boxes, put half a bushel of roots at a time and 

 stir them about in the water, pulling the bunches apart 

 so as to wash them clean ; then, having a platform at hand, 

 lay them on it to dry. (To make the platform, take two 

 or three common boards, so as to be about four feet in 

 width, and nail elects across the under side.) On these 

 spread the roots about two inches thick, for drying in the 

 sun. Carry the platforms to a convenient place, not tar 

 from the house, and place them side by side, in rows east 

 and west, and with their ends north and south, leaving 

 room to walk between the rows. Elevate the south ends 

 of the platforms about eighteen inches, and the north ends 

 about six inches from the ground, putting poles or sticks 

 to support them this will greatly facilitate drying. After 

 the second or third day drying, the madder must be pro. 

 tected from the dews at night, and from rain, by placing 

 the platforms one upon another to a convenient height, 

 and covering the uppermost one with boards. Spread 

 them out again in the morning, or as soon as danger is 

 over. Five or six days of ordinarily fine weather will dry 

 the madder sufficiently, when it may be put away till it is 

 convenient to kiln-dry and grind it. 



Kiln-drying. The size and mode of constructing the 

 kiln may be varied to suit circumstances. The following 

 is a very cheap plan, and sufficient to dry one ton of roots 

 at a time. Place four strong posts in the ground, twelve 

 feet apart one way, and eighteen the other ; the front two 

 fourteen feet high, and the others eighteen ; put girts across 



