CARROTS, MANGOLDS AND SUGAR BEETS. 5 1 



heavy one, the blade eight or nine inches in length. A small 

 grit stone for the use of each of the hands engaged in top- 

 ping any kind of roots is always a good investment ; it saves 

 running to the barn for an occasional touch on the grind- 

 stone. 



If the roots are to be marketed they will need to be left 

 awhile to have the earth on them dry, that it may fall off 

 when loading, but if for use on the farm it will be rather of 

 an advantage, as it will help keep them from wilting. The 

 portion of the crop to be fed before Spring should be stored 

 as near to the place of feeding as possible. The great ob- 

 ject should be to keep them sufficiently covered and cool to 

 prevent wilting. As all the beet family are good keepers, 

 there need be but a small per cent, of loss. Store them in a 

 cool, rather moist cellar, provided it has no standing water. 

 The heap may be three or four feet in depth, and should be 

 covered with earth that is rather moist than otherwise, to 

 prevent evaporation. The long varieties may be piled cord- 

 wood fashion. Those to be fed after Spring opens can be 

 kept in a pit, dug in gravelly soil, on a hill-side, or where 

 there is no danger from standing water ; the pit may be 

 three or four feet in depth, and be filled to the surface. In 

 covering there are two methods : one, to throw the earth di- 

 rectly on the roots, and the other to first cover them with 

 cornstalks, or some dry, coarse litter before throwing on the 

 earth. In practice I find that when the litter is used the roots 

 in immediate contact with it are apt to mould, more or less, 

 and be affected with a dry rot, though it is an excellent plan 

 to throw over coarse litter up to severe freezing weather. 

 Which ever course is pursued it is best not to throw on more 

 at first than is sufficient to barely cover them, and to add 

 the remainder, making a covering of about two feet in 

 depth in all ; to which is to be added a foot of coarse 

 hay as the weather becomes cold. The urocess of 



