14 CARROTS, MANGOLDS AND SUGAR BEETS. 



for late planting holds especially good for the Short Horn va- 

 rieties, as these require a shorter time to mature than the long 

 kinds. If the crop is planted too early, sometimes the roots 

 having matured, will attempt to push seed shoots ; when this 

 is so they will be found woody in their structure, with num- 

 berless thread-like roots while their quality and keeping pro- 

 perties are greatly injured. This crop on rich land is some- 

 times planted as late as the first week in July, and with great 

 success, should the Fall prove exceptionably mild, yet, as a 

 rule, I would not recommend planting later than the mid- 

 dle of June. If it so happens, from press of work, or the 

 dry weather, the farmer has to plant later than this, then by 

 all means let him confine himself to the earlier varieties. 



THE SEED AND THE PLANTING OF IT. 



To grow seed, medium-sized roots should be selected, 

 that are well-grown, straight and symmetrical, of a rich, dark 

 orange color, with a small, compact top. Plant in rows three 

 and a half feet apart and fifteen inches in the row, the 

 crowns being on a level with the surface. If the roots are 

 long they may be laid slanting in the furrows. The best seed 

 will be from the two first cuttings, which will come from the 

 center of the main stock and of each side shoot. 



The seed grows with a covering of small, short, stiff hairs, 

 which makes them adhere together ; these must be very thor- 

 oughly removed Defore the seed can be relied upon to flow 

 freely from the machine. Much of foreign grown seed reache 3 

 this country not properly cleaned. To remove this furze, 

 either thrash the seed with the flail very thoroughly, when the 

 weather is quite cold and dry, or warm the seed slightly and 

 rub it with the hand against the wires of a sieve, of a right 

 degree of fineness to let the hairs fall through. Either win- 

 now, or sink in water, to remove all impurities. If sunk, be 



