CARROTS, MANGOLDS AND SUGAR BEETS. 1 3 



gles, pulling all coarse stones and lumps of earth and manure 

 into the last furrow made. In brief, proceed to make as fine 

 a seed bed as for onions. 



If any one, depending on the apparent fineness of the 

 surface, concludes to dispense with the final raking and let 

 the work of the brush harrow answer, he will be apt to re- 

 pent it before the season closes ; should he try it let him be 

 sure to double the quantity of seed planted in that portion 

 of the land so treated. If the bed has its first ploughing 

 early in the season, much of the weed seed will germinate 

 before planting time and an occasional use of the cultivator 

 will destroy many of the pests, 



WHEN TO PLANT. 



Some of our best farmers advocate planting about the 

 middle of May, others equally successful in root culture 

 claim that the middle of June is the best time. There are 

 arguments for both early and. late planting. In New Eng- 

 land we usually have the weather sufficiently moist towards 

 the close of May to insure the germination of the seed and 

 protect the plants when they break ground, from "sun-scald." 

 Those planted as late as the middle of June are more liable 

 to be so affected by the dry weather usual at that period as 

 not to vegetate as well ; and should the heat be very great 

 just after they push through the ground, sometimes in a sin- 

 gle day nearly the entire crop will disappear by "sun-scald." 

 But on the other hand, by planting late we about get rid of 

 one weeding, assuming that the ground is stirred by the cul- 

 tivator occasionally, up to the time of planting. Again, this 

 brings the crop in full vigor in October, the month of all 

 others most favorable for the growth of the root, and the 

 Carrots being dug while the tops are in fair growing condi- 

 tion, keep better than when dug fully ripe. The argument 



