42 



BEE 



BEE 



Sec'ry. and published in Vol. 111. 

 No. 3 of the Massachusetis Agri- 

 cultural Journal. They are de- 

 rived, principally, from a French 

 publication by the Abbe Rosier. 



This root is very little affected 

 by changes of weather. It is at- 



' tacked by no insect ; drought affects 

 but little its vegetation. It pre- 

 pares the land extremely well for 

 other crops. It may be sown and 

 treated precisely like the common 

 beet, except that it ought to stand 

 eighteen inches asunder. 



In good land they often weigh 

 nine or ten pounds, and are strip- 

 ped eight or nine times. In a 

 light saudy, but well manured, soil 

 they sometimes weigh fourteen 

 and even sixteen pounds each ! 



The first crop of leaves in 

 France is taken ofif in the latter 

 end of June, or the beginning of 

 Jul}', in this country, probably, 

 the latter period would be prefer- 

 able. The iower leaves, those 

 which incline towards the ground 



> are those which are taken away, 

 and care must be taken to preserve 

 the top leaves, or the crown of the 

 plants. The leaves may be taken 

 ofFevery fifteen days after the first 

 gathering. Oxen, cows, and sheep 

 devour them greedily, and fatten 

 readily upon tiiem. All domestic 

 poultry eat them readily, when 

 chopped fine and mixed with grain. 

 Horses will feed upon them very 

 well, mixed with chopped straw. 

 Hogs also fatten upon them. 



Cows, fed upon this root solely, 

 give a greater quantity of milk 

 and cream, and of better quality 

 for the first fifteen days, after which 

 they grow too fat, and the milk 



lessens. The food of cows must 

 therefore be varied. Oxen and 

 sheep fatten very well upon them. 

 Cows should have grass in propor- 

 tion of one third to the beetJeaves, 

 or every third day they should be 

 turned to grass. In this mode 

 their milk will be excellent. The 

 trouble of gathering the leaves is 

 less than that of gathering any 

 other green fodder. It may be 

 done by children, while men are 

 required to cut other green food 

 for cattle. It is the surest crop, 

 since the plant will stand the 

 largest droughts. The roots are 

 gathered and treated like those of 

 the common beet. The skin is 

 very tender and care should be 

 taken to handle them so as they 

 may not be wounded, as they will, 

 in that case, not keep so well. In 

 order to preserve the seed in 

 purity, care must be taken to 

 change the ground in which the 

 seed-beets are planted. The seed 

 can be preserved after it is gather- 

 ed three or four years without in- 

 jury. In giving these roots to 

 cattle for food, they are first 

 washed and then cut up into 

 pieces about the size of a nut. 

 It is always best to accompany 

 them, when given to horned cat- 

 tle with clover, or other hay or 

 straw, and if the hay or straw 

 has been previously cut fine, it 

 will be preferable. If horses are 

 fed with this root, with a propor- 

 tion of hay or cut straw, (half of 

 each,) they will be fat, vigorous 

 and healthy. If they are worked 

 severely, a little oats or corn may 

 be added. It is thus they are 

 treated in Germany, where this 



