224 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Thus showing that, in a chemical point of view, the leaves were 

 three times as valuable as the same weight of roots would be." 

 — Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, Vol. 

 xiii. p. 160. 



Storing. — About the beginning of November * the crop will 

 have arrived at maturity, and then no time should be lost in 

 getting it into the farmyard, as should frost occur the bulbs 

 are liable to be injured severely. The opportunity of dry 

 weather should, if possible, be seized upon for this purpose, 

 even should it occur in the end of October, for it is only in dry 

 weather this can be done without injury to the land, whilst the 

 crop will thus be taken up in the best state for securing its safe 

 keeping, even to a late period of the following season. Having 

 selected a convenient place for storing the bulbs, the operations 

 of pulling, topping, carting, &c., should commence and pro- 

 ceed with all possible dispatch. The bulbs growing in every 

 four drills should be placed together in the hollow space 

 between the two middle ones, and by this means the carts can 

 pass between two rows, and be filled from both at the same 

 time ; the leaves may be thrown in heaps also, in such a man- 

 ner as not to interfere with the carting. In topping, i. e., 

 taking off the leaves, a sharp knife or sickle may be used, but 

 the utmost caution must be taken that the tops be not severed 

 so close to the bulb as to wound it, as should it happen to be 

 cut, the juice or sap exudes through the wound, and not only 

 is a great part of its nutritive properties thus lost, but it is also 

 very liable to decay. To avoid this danger, many persons have 

 the tops twisted off with the hand, which performs the work 

 very expeditiously. No more should be pulled and topped in 

 the field than can be carted in and stored the same day, for 

 should frost occur over night the denuded bulbs will suffer 

 severely, while if standing and protected by their broad leaves, 

 its effects will be greatly lessened. If any unavoidably happen 

 to be left out, they may be kept safe by making into heaps and 

 covering them with the leaves. Should any, however, be frozen, 



* The harvesting of the beet in Massachusetts should commence a month 

 earlier, say in the first and second weeks of October, and stored before the 

 other root crops. This happens to be, fortunately, the most convenient order 

 for harvesting with respect to future use, as the beet root is not wanted until 

 after the turnip, carrot, and other root crops are exhausted. — R. s. f. 



