MANGEL WtrRTZEL. 119 



into which it does not penetrate more than half its whole 

 length. It would be apt to rot if the root was covered 

 with soil. Its culture is easy — its advantages numerous. 

 Both the leaves and the roots are good food for man and 

 beast ; nor are they liable to be destroyed by insects ; 

 they are also proot' against the summer's drought, and 

 the change of the season. It prepares the ground ex- 

 tremely well for other crops. 



The more the land is manured and cultivated, the 

 better the plants. In ordinary land, with common cul- 

 ture, they will weigh five or six pounds, and the leavei 

 can be stripped four or five times in a season. In good 

 land they often weigh nine or ten pounds, and are strip- 

 ped eight or nine times. In a suitable soil, well manur- 

 ed, they frequently weigh fourteen or fifteen pounds. 



Rich, deep, loamy soils arfe properly adapted to it« 

 culture ; it is cultivated with success, on loamy land, 

 with some mixture of sand in it; on such it is consider- 

 ed by some more profitable to cultivate than any other 

 root, especially when the leaves are used for selling. 



The ground should be prepared to receive the seed, 

 and cleared the same way as for ruia-baga. The manure 

 shouW be of the finer kind. The roots will not get to a 

 larger size in rows three feet apart than they do in rows 

 two feet apart. The seed should be carefully selected 

 from tiie most perfect plait*, and that have been cultiv- 

 ated at a distance from other varieties. It is best when 

 fresh, but will keep several years. It must be deposit- 

 ed in the earth about an inch deep, and from ten to fif- 

 teen inches apart, according to the quality of the soil. 

 If vacancies occur, they can be supplied by trans- 

 planting. 



The proper time for planting is the month of May. 

 Every seed will have two or three roots growing to- 

 gether; as soon as they shew their fourth leaf, all, but 

 the most vigorous plant, must be taken away. As soon 

 as the head of the plant has spread, no weed can live 

 underneath its shade, and the expense of hoeing after- 

 wards is very trifling. 



When the outward leaves are about a foot long, the 

 first crop can be gathered, taking the under ones that 

 bend towards the ground; breaking them ofi' near the 



