854 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



5S49. The chief injuries to which the teazle is liable are those effected by the fly and 

 slug in its infant state. 



SuBSECT. 4. Madder. RuUa iinctorum, L. Tetran. Monog. L. and Rtibiaceee, J. 

 Garance, Fr. ; FdrberrZthe, Ger. ; Rubia, Span. ; and Robia, Ital. {Ji.g. 591.) 



5350. The dyers madder has a perennial root, and an 

 annual stalk. The root is composed of many long, thick, 

 succulent fibres, almost as large as a man's little finger ; 

 these are joined at the top in a head, like the roots of 

 asparagus, and strike very deep into the ground, being 

 sometimes more than three feet in length. From the 

 upper part (or head of the root) come out many side roots, 

 which extend just under the surface of the ground to a 

 great distance, whereby it propagates very fast ; for these 

 send up a great number of shoots, which, if carefully taken 

 off in the spring soon after they are above ground, become 

 so many plants. It is a native of the south of Europe, 

 flowers in June, and seeds soon afterwards ; but by them 

 it is never propagated. Madder is mentioned by the 

 Greeks as a medical plant, but when it was first used in 

 dyeing is uncertain. It has been cultivated in Holland and 

 Flanders, and other parts of the continent for that purpose 

 for many centuries, and has been tried in this country, but 

 unless the importation of the root from the continent were entirely prevented, it 

 will not answer. Its culture has been attempted at different times when our commerce 

 with the Dutch was interrupted, or when they raised the price of the article exorbitantly 

 high. At present it may be imported not only from Holland, but from France, Italy, 

 and Turkey. 



5351. The soils most suited to the cultivation of madder, are those of the deep 

 fertile sandy loams that are not retentive of moisture, and which have a considerable 

 portion of vegetable matter in their composition. It may also be grown on the more light 

 descriptions of soil that have sufficient depth, and which are in a proper state of fertility. 



5352. The preparation of the soil may either consist in trench ploughings, lengthways 

 and across, with pronged stirrings, so as to bring it to a fine tilth ; or, what will often be 

 found preferable, by one trenching two feet deep by manual labor. 



5353. The sets or plants are best obtained from the runners, or surface-roots of the old 

 plants. These being taken up, are to be cut into lengths of from six to twelve inches, 

 according to the scarcity or abundance of runners. Sets of one inch will grow if they 

 have an eye or bud, and some fibres, but their progress will be injuriously slow for want 

 of maternal nourishment. Sets may also be procured by sowing the seeds in fine light 

 earth a year before they are wanted, and then transplanting them ; or sets of an inch may 

 be planted one year in a garden, and then removed to the field plantation. 



5354. The season of planting is commonly May or June, and the manner is generally 

 in rows nine or ten inches asunder, and five or six inches apart in the rows. Some plant 

 promiscuously in beds with intervals between, out of which earth is thrown in the lazy-bed 

 manner of growing potatoes ; but this is unnecessary, as it is not the surface, but the 

 descending roots which are used by the dyer. 



5355. The operation of planting is generally done by the dibber, but some ley-plant 

 them by the aid of the plough. By this mode the ground is ploughed over with a shal- 

 low furrow, and in the course of the operation the sets are deposited in each furrow, 

 leaning on and pressed against the furrow-slice. This, however, is a bad mode, as there 

 is no opportunity of firming the plants at the roots, and as some of the sets are apt to be 

 buried, and others not suflRciently covered. 



5356. The after-culture consists in hoeing and weeding with stirring by pronged hoes, 

 either of the horse or hand kind. Some earth up, but this is unnecessary, and even in- 

 jurious, as tearing the surface-roots, 



5357. The madder-crop is taken at the end of ^ the third autumn after planting, and 

 generally in the month of October. By far the best mode is that of trenching over the 

 ground, which not only clears it effectually, but fits it at once for another crop. But 

 where madder has been grown on land prepared by the plough, that implement may be 

 used in removing it. Previously to trenching, the hpulm may be removed with an old 

 scythe, and carted to the farmery to be used as litter to spread in the straw-yards. 



5358. Drying the roots is the next process, which, in very fine seasons, may sometimes 

 be effected on the soil, by simply laying the plants on it as they are taken up ; but in 

 most seasons they require to be dried on a kiln, like that used for malt or hops. They 

 are dried till they become brittle, and then packed up in bags for sale to the dyer. 



