ROOT CROPS. 221 



and healthiest plant to remain. The distance apart at which 

 the plants are to be left is determined by the size they are 

 expected to attain. Where the soil is rich and every thing 

 favorable to their growth, the greatest space is allowed. When 

 the seed was sown in tufts or bunches, the hand must necessarily 

 be used in thinning, and the distance determined at the time 

 of sowing ; from twelve to sixteen inches are usually allowed. 

 In thinning, the plants must not be completely singled out at 

 the first operation ; it is better to allow two of the healthiest 

 and strongest to remain together, and at the final thinning, 

 which takes place in about a month afterwards, the more 

 promising plant should be left. This plan is most necessary to 

 be adopted to prevent the losses which otherwise are likely to 

 happen, by many of the plants starting to seed, and which is 

 materially checked by having the one which presents symptoms 

 of seeding* pulled, and the other left to grow. 



As the thinning proceeds, any blanks that may occur 

 should be filled up by transplanting ; this is the only case in 

 which the transplanting of mangolds is to be recommended ; 

 and even then, unless the weather be favoralile and the opera- 

 tion very carefully performed, the result will not be very suc- 

 cessful. Moist weather is the most suitable for this purpose, 

 and the best way to proceed is to open a hole with the spade, 

 where the blank occurs, large enough to receive the whole tuft 

 of plants with as much clay as can be raised about them. 

 When deposited in the hole, the clump must be carefully 

 firmed, and all the plants then drawn out, except the one 

 intended to be left. This method of transplanting cannot be 

 practised with the thinnings of the crop, as the entire bunch 

 must be used ; therefore, at the time of sowing it is necessary 

 to sow a small plot in some convenient place for the special 

 purpose of transplanting, and by observing the above conditions 

 a fair return may be expected. 



When weeds are again beginning to appear, after the first 

 thinning and weeding, the crop should be hand-hoed, and again 

 grubbed and drill-harrowed. In hoeing, great care must be 



* The principal symptoms indicative of a plant likely to run to seed are : — 

 The heart of the tuft of leaves apjaears high and forward, thus evincing a 

 tendency to produce a seed stalk ; there is also an absence of that healthy 

 gucculency observable in a better-disposed plant. 



