BEET. 



the rib and stalk are dressed like as- 

 paragus ; they have a pleasant, sweet 

 taste, and arc more wholesome tlian 

 the cabbage tribe. In a good soil the 

 produce is very abundant ; and if cul- 

 tivated on a large scale in the field, 

 this species of beet would prove a val- 

 uable addition to the plants raised for 

 cattle. 



The second species, the Beta vul- 

 garis, or beet-root, has been long cul- 

 tivated in gardens, especially that va- 

 riety called the red beet. It thrives 

 best in a rich, light, dry soil, and, from 

 the length of its tap-root, requires a 

 considerable depth. The white beet 

 is an excellent root, and is preferred 

 by many to the larger and more com- 

 mon intermediate varieties. It has 

 been lately in great repute in France 

 and Belgium for the manufacture of 

 sugar. 



The common field beet for cattle 

 has been long known in Germany. 

 The German name is mangold icurzcl, 

 or mangold root, but it is commonly 

 pronounced mangel wurzel. 



The improved variety of this beet, 

 which grows to a very large size in 

 good soil, has a red skin, and, when 

 cut through, appears veined with red 

 in concentric circles. The principal 

 part of the root rises often a foot 

 and more above the ground, and the 

 leaves, which are large and succulent, 

 spring from the crown of the root. 

 There is a limit, however, beyond 

 which the root does not improve in 

 quality as it increases, and the roots 

 of a moderate size contain more sac- 

 charine and nutritive matter in the 

 same bulk than the larger. This is 

 particularly the case with those vari- 

 eties from which sugar is extracted. 

 The soil best adapted for the beet- 

 root is a deep, sandy loam, naturally 

 rich. The apphcation of liquid ma- 

 nure during liie growth of the plant 

 greatly increases the roots ; but it is 

 also said to make them more watery, 

 and for the sugar beet it is not recom- 

 mended. It has been clearly demon- 

 strated that azotized manures dimm- 

 ish the sugar of beets. The seed, 

 which should be chosen from the 

 most perfect plants, is sown in May, 



at four to five pounds the acre ; it 

 should be steeped three or more days 

 in water before planting. It is found 

 by experience that those plants of 

 beet which grow from seed sown 

 where they are to remain have larger 

 roots, in general, than those which 

 are transplanted ; the seed is there- 

 fore usually drilled, or dibbled, in 

 rows, from twenty-four to thirty inch- 

 es distant ; the seeds are put in about 

 an inch deep, and when tliey are dib- 

 bled the holes are about four inches 

 asunder, and two or three seeds are 

 put in a hole. After they come up 

 and are out of danger of frost or in- 

 sects, they are thinned out so as to 

 leave the plants a foot asunder. If 

 the ground be well prepared there is 

 little fear of the plants not coming up, 

 or of their being destroyed by the fly, 

 as is too often the case with turnips. 

 A sprinkling of liquid manure along 

 the rows, about the time that the 

 plants first appear above ground, will, 

 in general, secure an abundance of 

 them ; and this may be done with 

 much less trouble than would be un- 

 agined by those who have never prac- 

 tised it. It requires only a water-cart, 

 with a large cask and two leathern 

 hose, kept at a proper distance from 

 each other by a stick between them, 

 so that they may pour the hquid ma- 

 nure over two rows at once. If the 

 field be not above a mile from the 

 tank, a man and horse will water two 

 acres in a day ; and if the distance is 

 half a mile, four acres ; the expense 

 will be amply repaid in the crop. 



On a very large scale this may not 

 be so practicable ; but wherever a 

 field of beets is nqar the home-stall, it 

 should never be omitted ; the evident 

 advantage of it will soon remove any 

 objection arising trom trouble or ex- 

 pense. When the plants are three 

 inches above ground, and thinned, 

 the intervals between the rows may 

 be stirred with the plough, grubber, 

 or horse-hoe, and the intervals from 

 plant to plant in the row with the 

 hand-hoe. The ground cannot be 

 kept too fine and open, provided the 

 soil be not extremely porous, and the 

 weather very dry. It is a common 



87 



