104 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



erally follows, and this is death to the crop. If five or six 

 cords of manure only are to be used, it is far better to apply 

 the whole to half an acre, not only for the sake of saving a 

 large amount of labor, but for the purpose of securing a 

 better return, and leaving the field in better condition for the 

 next year's crop ; it is the last twelfth cord to the acre that 

 gives the hard head and the heavy crop ; but with half-manure, 

 we may expect loose, spongy heads, and a light return. 



From what we learn about growing this crop, it appears 

 that, with a deep surface-soil resting upon a clayey bottom, 

 with a liberal supply of barn-manure and fertilizers, any 

 farmer need not demur or stand in fear of overstocking the 

 market or selling at a losing price, as almost all farmers have 

 or may have a home market, by feeding them to stock. 

 Twenty tons per acre is not a heavy crop. 



ROOT CROPS GENERALLY. 



A dry soil is essential for the root-crops, yet moisture is 

 beneficial to all, and is indeed indispensable to their growth ; 

 but wet is detrimental to all root-crops. 



A rich soil is as necessary to grow good crops and particularly 

 the root-crops, as nourishing and abundant foo.d is for fatten- 

 ing stock. It is well known that poor pasturage and coarse 

 forage may heep, yet it will woi fatten stock ; it is equally true 

 that, although field-crops will live and grow upon poor soil, 

 the product will be still greater in a rich one. 



Last, but not least, a good after-culture is indispensable. 

 This consists in keeping the surface constantly moved, killing 

 weeds and thinning the plants ; although the soil may be dry 

 and rich and deep and well pulverized, yet the labors of the 

 owner will not avail much if he neglect to keep the field 

 clean from weeds. Crowding too many plants into a certain 

 space is like overstocking a pasture, or making beef from 

 half-feed ; therefore, a moderate number of plants will give 

 much better profit than a large number upon the same soil 

 "crowded and huddled together." This is a hard lesson for 

 farmers generally to learn ; still it must be learned or ill-suc- 

 cess must follow. 



Finally, in the cultivation of root-crops, we have to say to 

 the young man who intends to make root-growing a specialty, 



