ROOT CROPS. 83 



the different Globes arc preferable for light soils, and the others 

 for deep, heavy land. 



Preparation of Land. 



Land intended for mangolds requires thorough draining, 

 deep ploughing, and thorough harrowing. An autumn plough- 

 ing and another in the spring is very desirable, and when the 

 manure is spread upon the surface, it should be thoroughly 

 incorporated with the soil. About six cords of barnyard 

 manure thus applied on the surface, and about the same 

 amount in the drills, is a fair allowance for this root on soils of 

 average fertility. The land having been ploughed and har- 

 rowed, drills should be opened about twenty-four inches apart. 

 If the land is very heavy, some sand should be thrown in the 

 bottom of the drill before the manure is applied. This should 

 be deposited evenly, and thoroughly pulverized, and covered 

 over, at the depth of two or three inches, with the soil. The 

 ground is now ready for the seed, about five pounds to the 

 acre. This should. be steeped in dilute liquid manure two or 

 three days previous to sowing, to promote germination. It is 

 sown both by machine and hand. It should be deposited 

 evenly in the drills, at the distance of not less than an inch 

 apart, and covered lightly with the soil. A good method is 

 described as follows : 



" Great care must be taken that the seed of the mangold 

 wurzel is not buried too deep, or it will not vegetate. To 

 insure, therefore, a proper depth, I have been in the habit of 

 using an iron wheel, round the outer circumference of which, 

 iron points project, broad at the base and tapering towards the 

 point, about 2\ inches long. This is wheeled upon the top of 

 the ridge, the man walking in the furrow, and thus holes are 

 formed Avhich can never run into the excess of great depth, and 

 into which the seeds are deposited by women or boys following 

 the wheel. The roller follows, and thus the sowing terminates." 



Culture. 



As soon as the young plants have become well set, and the 



leaves, from three to four, well put out, should come the first 



thinning. This should be conducted uniformly, yet not severely, 



as many of the remaining plants are liable to receive injury, or 



