CARROTS, MANGOLDS AND SUGAR BEETS. 49 



seed of weeds. Mangolds will require two or three hand 

 weedings, besides as many slidings with the scuffle or wheel- 

 hoe. If too thick they should be thinned rather early in 

 their growth, for I have oftentimes noticed that if this is left 

 until the roots begin to develop, those left standing are 

 apt to be dwarfed. It is best to give two thinnings. The 

 plants should be left from ten to twelve inches apart ; the 

 crop of eighty tons was thinned to twelve inches apart, and 

 as the roots are more apt to grow coarse and prongy, and 

 with less sugar in them, when far apart, I am inclined to ten 

 or twelve inches as far enough. The object aimed at should 

 be, as Prof. Voelcker has shown, to get the weight in many 

 roots of medium size rather than in fewer roots of large size. 



GATHERING AND STORING THE CROP. 



Unlike other roots, the keeping qualities of Mangolds 

 are destroyed by a temperature low enough to but little more 

 than freeze the surface of the ground. In the late Fall when 

 the growth is about completed, these much exposed roots have 

 but few leaves to protect them and hence, where freezing 

 weather is feared, the provident farmer will always give them 

 the benefit of the doubt. If he is so unfortunate as to have 

 his crop injured, let him at once get the most he can out of 

 them, in the way of food, for though the injury at first may 

 appear to be but trivial, the part frozen will become first 

 corky and afterwards turn black, and ultimately rot. If but 

 slightly frozen the frost may be taken out by at once cover- 

 ing the roots temporarily with earth, but such roots must be 

 fed early or they will rot. Where the globe or ovoid varie- 

 ties are grown, on land where they pull hard they may be 

 lifted by running a subsoil plough with care. In pulling 

 these, or any roots that are to be topped on the field, don't 

 do, as is usually done, either scatter them on the surface, 



