84 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



grow puny or sickly. The plants should be left standing, at 

 this thinning, certainly five inches apart, and even less, if there 

 is any doubt as to future success. At this time occurs the first 

 hoeing and hand weeding. This should be thorough, as on it 

 depends, in a great measure, the success of the crop. 



At the second thinning, about three or four weeks from the 

 first, all strong plants growing at a nearer distance than twelve 

 or fourteen inches from each other, should be removed, and in 

 case there are any blanks in the rows, caused by the seed not 

 germinating, or by" death of the plants, white turnip seed, or 

 even Swede, may be sown in the spaces, if the season is not too 

 far advanced. These may be thinned if occasion requires, at 

 the time of the third weeding. 



The second thinning of the mangolds should be attended by 

 a careful hoeing and hand weeding, and if the ground is very 

 weedy, a third hoeing is necessary. 



These rules regarding weeding in mangold culture, as in the 

 cultivation of all other roots, should be rigidly observed. The 

 amount of nourishment robbed from the plants by a host of 

 worse than worthless weeds is incalculable, and the thrifty 

 farmer should lose no opportunity of destroying them. 



Harvesting. 

 About the first week in October the mangold is ready for 

 harvesting. This should always be done in dry weather. After 

 pulling and piling the plants in heaps at convenient distances 

 apart, (taking care that not more than enough is pulled in the 

 morning, than can be handled and housed on the same day,) 

 the tops and tap-roots, and all sand and earth removed in a 

 careful manner, that is, without wounding the root itself, the 

 bulbs may be left to dry in the sun for a few hours. They 

 should be housed on the same day on which they are pulled, 

 certainly if there is danger of frost in the night, as they are 

 much more liable to suffer from its attacks when deprived of 

 their leaves out of the ground, than when protected by them in 

 it. In storing mangolds, care should be observed in selecting a 

 cool, dry locality ; and if put in bins no greater depth than four 

 or five feet is advisable. An atmosphere that is warm causes 

 them to leaf, and if they are once frozen, they immediately 

 begin to decay. Tlie leaves are very valuable as food for milch 



