168 ROOT CULTURE. 



the free circulation of air and moisture through all its in- 

 terstices, and through its mass. The air and dews, we 

 repeat, are charged with the elements of fertility, and the 

 more freely they are permitted to penetrate the soil, the 

 more benefit will they impart to the crop. 



Good after-culture implies, the keeping of the ground 

 free from weeds, which rob the crop of its food, thinning 

 the plants to a proper distance, and keeping the surface 

 mellow, or open to atmospheric influence. If the soil is 

 dry, and rich, and deep, and well pulverized, the labors 

 of the husbandman will yet not avail much, in root crops, 

 if he neglects either to destroy weeds, to thin, when ne- 

 cessary, his plants, or to keep the surface loose and 

 open. But these latter requisites to success may easily 

 be got along with, if they are attended to in time, and with 

 proper implements. The potato ground should be well 

 harrowed, to destroy all the young weeds, and to pulver- 

 ize the surface, before the shoots have all broke ground. 

 It may afterwards be almost wholly managed with the 

 plough and cultivator. The beet, carrot, and ruta baga, 

 if sown, as they should be, in rows, should be cleaned in 

 like manner, and for like purpose, with the cultivator, as 

 soon as the rows of the young plants can be readily dis- 

 tinguished. One hour's labor, in this way, will destroy 

 more small weeds, and correspondingly benefit the crop, 

 than three hours' labor will effect upon large weeds. It 

 is easier to destroy the acorn, than it is to eradicate the 

 oak. To crowd plants, is like overstocking a pasture, 

 or endeavoring to make fat animals from half rations of 

 food. It is dividing among many that food which is re- 

 quired to perfect one. It moreover tends to exclude 

 light, heat, and a free circulation of air, essential to the 

 developement of vegetables, and the perfection of their 

 growth. Hence a moderate number of plants will give a 

 better product than a great many, upon the same ground, 

 in a crowded situation. This is a hard lesson to teach 

 to some farmers, in regard to root crops. 



