CARROTS, MANGOLDS AND SUGAR BEETS. 41 



ically, by the fact that the percentage is very much higher in 

 the early stages of growth, before the crop is matured, than 

 it is later in the season, while in the experiments of Mr. 

 Lawes in feeding sheep, the lot containing the most nitrogen 

 in the way of nutrition gave the poorest results. 



Assuming with Prof. Voelcker that bulk should not be 

 sought at a disproportionate sacrifice of sugar in the crop, 

 and that certain soils and certain manures and certain 

 methods of cultivation are more favorable than others to the 

 d:velopment of this desirable proportion. I present extracts 

 from his valuable article on "Root Crops as affected by Soil 

 and Manures." 



"Land highly manured with rich dung from the fattening 

 boxes or stables, induces luxurious and vigorous gro.vth in 

 root crops, and, as is well known, has a tendency to develop 

 over-luxuriance in the tops. This is the case more particu- 

 larly if the dung is derived from fattening beasts, liberally 

 supplied with oil-cake and artificial food, rich in nitrogen- 

 ous constituents. If the Autumn turns out fairly dry and 

 warm, the roots in highly manured land continue to grow 

 vigorously, the bulbs swell to a large dimension, and if the 

 weather in September and October continues warm and dry. 

 a heavy weight, and fairly ripe roots, result from the liberal 

 use of rich dung. But should the Autumn be cold and wet, 

 too liberal an application of good, well-rotten dung is apt to 

 maintain the luxuriant tops in a vigorous, active-growing 

 condition, at a period of the year when the crop has to be 

 taken up, and the result is an immature root crop, of a low 

 feeding value. Although the bulbs may be of a good size, 

 they turn out, when grown under such conditions, watery, de- 

 ficient in sugar, and not nearly as nutritious as they would 

 have been had a more moderate dressing of dung been put 

 upon the land. The main cause of the immature condition 

 and low-feeding quality of Mangolds grown with an excess- 



