106 ON ROOT CROPS, j 



As to BEETS, the attention of the committee has been called j 

 to one claim only, that of Benjamin Rogers, of Andover, for ' 

 Mangel-wiirtzel. It was seen only by Mr. Batchelder, of the j 

 committee, who was prevented by indisposition from being pres- ; 

 ent at their final meeting. If the crop proves as good as it j 

 promised to be, Mr. Rogers will be entitled to the Society's ! 

 premium. Although the beet is a valuable article for the feed j 

 of animals, it does not seem to be very generally cultivated. ! 

 No field of half an acre together has come within our observa- \ 

 tion. This fact argues strongly against its good reputation ] 

 among the farmers. If it is really good, their cattle will bear ; 

 testimony to its value. Their evidence is worth more than ' 

 any chemical analysis. | 



As to TURNIPS, they are fine things to talk about, but with i 

 us it is talk, and little else. We have seen several fields of an j 

 acre or more, but no one has been kind enough to tell us the j 

 yiekh Perhaps they have not yet been pulled. Whether they j 

 have or not, we cannot say much in their favor. We have j 

 supposed they were easily raised, and worth but little, com- '. 

 paratively, when grown. It may be otherwise. 



As to the POTATO — the root of roots, by way of emphasis, — 

 the accompaniment of every abode, from the lowest hovel to j 

 the highest palace, what shall be said ? To expect a claim for 

 cultivation or produce, would be entirely out of the question. ' 

 So indispensable is this vegetable deemed for the sustenance i 

 and comfort of man. that every one still continues more or less ' 

 of their cultivation, in the hope that their own field may by 

 chance escape the devastating influence. What this is, we 

 are not prepared to say. And although so many solutions and 

 explanations have been put forward, of the cause of the decay J 

 or failure of the potato, none has come to our knowledge wor- 

 thy of confidence. 



A communication from Joseph Snelling, Jr., of Methuen, ad- 

 dressed to the chairman of the committee, is appended to this 

 report as worthy of publication. It indicates a good degree of 

 attention to the subject, and may be the means of awakening 

 the attention of others. In this way alone may a remedy be 

 hoped. That some soils are more favorable to the growth of 



