AGRICULTURE 



stems; bulbs, such as the onion, are thickened underground leaves. 



All these crops need a mellow, fertile soil that can be pushed aside 



by the growing root, tuber, or 

 bulb, and that supplies food ele- 

 ments fully and freely. 



Where the soil is not natu- 

 rally loose and porous, it should 

 be plowed deep and made fine 

 and mellow. On heavy soils 

 ridge cultivation may be better; 

 on light soils level cultivation 

 lessens the evils of drought and 

 promotes the use of cultivating 

 tools. The crops for winter 

 keeping should be harvested in 

 dry weather. They should be 

 kept in a cool, dark, well- 

 drained, well-ventilated place. 



Turnips, ru'ta-ba/gas, man'gel- 

 wur'zels, sugar beets, and carrots 



are raised in some sections as field crops for stock feed in winter. 



They are often sowed on wheat or oat stubble. English farmers 



say that their breeds of cattle and sheep have greatly improved 



since root crops are raised and fed. These crops are being more 



and more largely grown in the United States. 



Potatoes. Potatoes, sweet and white, are the vegetables, most 



widely raised for table use. Sweet potatoes require a long growing 



season and so thrive best in the South; they prefer a porous, 



sandy soil. 

 The white potato is raised in all sections of the United States. 



It is a greedy feeder, and thrives best in a fertile, deep, well-drained 



Potato plant, showing root system and 

 growth of tubers. 



