MANURES FOR SPECIAL CROPS. 287 



would be no argument against them. But such is not the case. 

 In a letter just received from Mr. Lawes, (May, 1878,) he charac- 

 terizes them as * bladders of water and salts.' " 



Had the seed growers bred for quiLty, the roots would have 

 been of less size, but they would contain more nutriment. 



What we want is a variety that has been bred with reference to 

 quality ; and when this is secured, we need not fear to make the 

 land rich and otherwise aim to secure great growth and large-sized 

 roots. 



It certainly is not good economy to select a variety which has 

 been bred for years to produce large-sized roots, and then sow this 

 seed on poor land for the purpose of obtaining small-sized roots. 

 Better take a variety bred for quality, and then make the land rich 

 enough to produce a good crop. 



We are not likely to err in making the land too rich for mangel- 

 wurzel or for sugar-beets grown for stock. When sugar-beets are 

 grown for sugar, we must aim to use manures favorable for the pro- 

 duction of sugar, or rather to avoid using those which are un- 

 favorable. But where sugar-beets are grown for food, our aim is 

 to get a large amount of nutriment to the acre. And it is by no 

 means clear to my mind that there is much to be gained by select- 

 ing the sugar-beet instead of a good variety of mangel-wurzel. It 

 is not a difficult matter, by selecting the largest roots for seed, and 

 by liberal manuring, and continuously selecting the largest roots, 

 to convert the sugar-beet into a mangel-wurzel. 



When sugar-beets are grown for food, we may safely manure 

 them as we would mangel-wurzel, and treat the two crops pre- 

 cisely alike. 



I usually raise from ten to fifteen acres of mangel-wurzel every 

 year. I grow them in rotation with other crops, and not as the 

 Hon. Harris Lewis and some others do, continuously on the same 

 land. We manure liberally, but not extravagantly, and get a fair 

 yield, and the land is left in admirable condition for future crops. 



I mean by this, not that the land is specially rich, but that it is 

 very clean and mellow. 



"In 1877," said the Deacon, "you had potatoes on the land 

 where you grew mangels the previous year, and had the best crop 

 in the neighborhood." 



This is true, but still I do not think it a good rotation. A barley 

 crop seeded with clover would be better, especially if the mangels 

 were heavily manured. The clover would get the manure which 

 hid been washed into the subsoil, or left in such a condition that 

 potatoes <* grain could not take it up. 



