CARROTS, MANGOLDS AND SUGAR BEETS. 37 



can b~ accomplished by a liberal use of the wheel-harrow 

 followed by a fine-toothed, smoothing harrow and that by a 

 plank drag. An old barn door will sometimes answer for 

 this, but as it is an excellent implement on the farm it will be 

 well to have one. It should be about three feet wide and 

 six long, with one side about ten inches high, meeting the 

 bottom at an angle of forty-five degrees ; the planks had 

 better overlap slightly, as they will the better break the lumps 

 of earth. The team is to be hitched to ihe turned up side, 

 and the driver is to stand on the drag, driving it sideways 

 over the land. The effect of such a drag in breaking up 

 lumps and generally pulverizing the soil, will be found to be 

 much superior to that of any roller. Should the soil be ot 

 such a character or in such a condition that the harrow and 

 drag process will not make a good seed bed, there remains 

 no resource other than to prepare it as for onions, by raking 

 over the entire surface. 



THE MANURE AND ITS APPLICATION. 



The kind and quantities of food needed to grow any 

 vegetable is found by an analysis of that vegetable. Having 

 thus learned the kind and quantity needed for any crop, the 

 next step of the wise farmer will be to ascertain what ma- 

 nures contain the necessary constituents and which of these 

 contain them in the cheapest form. A little knowledge of 

 Chemistry, in its application to manures, is of incalculable val- 

 ue to the husbandman and no amount of experience and tra- 

 ditionary knowledge can serve as a substitute for it. I believe 

 that it is in this direction that the great advance in agricul- 

 ture will be made, and were there no other argument for 

 Agricultural colleges the fact that they are prepared to give 

 thorough instruction in this one department would be a suf- 

 ficient reason for their existence, and for their liberal patron- 



