336 HANDY-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



water. Into this dip each handful of roots, as they are trimmed, 

 on being first taken from the bed. So treated, mangels, cabbages, 

 and, probably, •rutabagas, can be set out even in the dryest 

 weather with success ; and in any case this addition of a rich 

 fertilizer at the point at which the new roots are to seek their first 

 food will be found advantageous. 



The process of growth of the mangel, and probably of all root 

 crops, is about as follows: — 



During the early stages the energies of the plant are devoted 

 chiefly to the forming of leaves ; and, even after these have 

 attained sufficient size to absorb atmospheric matter, the growth 

 is confined chiefly to their extension. Later in the season, by the 

 transformation of the contents of the cells of the leaves, these 

 contents, again becoming soluble, pass down and increase the bulk 

 of the root. Thus we see at harvest time that a large proportion 

 of the leaves of the crop have withered and fallen away. It is the 

 erroneous custom, in many districts, to forestall this withering by 

 stripping them ofF, and using them for cattle food._ It is hardly 

 necessary to say that this custom results in great detriment to 

 the crop, as the roots are thus robbed of a large part of the 

 matter which it is the design of nature to store in them for winter 

 use or for the next season's seed-growing. The crop should be 

 left entirely untouched after the leaves have covered the ground 

 until harvest time, which should be before any frost severe enough 

 to seriously affect the roots themselves. Early frosts have but 

 slight effect, even on the leaves, and so long as the ground is well 

 shaded from the morning sun, a slight freezing of the roots does 

 no harm, as the frost will be withdrawn by the gradually increas- 

 ing heat of the air, before the cuticle is struck by the direct rays 

 of the sun. 



In harvesting mangels, the leaves should be twisted or torn off 

 by hand, and not cut off by a knife, — it having been found that 

 cutting induces early decay. As the root grows chiefly above 

 ground, and is rather smoothly rounded even under the surface 

 of the earth, it is not necessary to trim off the rootlets, which 

 are of but very little amount. As the roots are stripped they 



