59 



Element. Pounds of different material for one acre. 



f 600 to 800 Ibs. cotton-seed meal ; or 

 v . . J 450 to 600 Ibs. dried blood ; or 



' ro en ] 300 to 400 Ibs. nitrate of soda; or 



L 200 to 250 Ibs. sulphate of ammonia. 



{1200 to 1500 Ibs. kainit ; or 

 200 to 250 Ibs. muriate of potash ; or 

 200 to 250 Ibs. sulphate of potash ; or 

 350 to 450 Ibs. sulphate of potash, and 



sulphate of magnesia. 



, . . , / 900 to 1200 Ibs. acid phosphate ; or 

 Phosphoric acid. ( ^ to 900 Ibs. dissolved bone. 



CULTIVATION. 



This, above all other plants, can stand deep and 

 thorough cultivation. In the fall, after the plants have 

 ceased to grow, the ground may be thrown up onto 

 the row by a stirring plow, and this raked or harrowed 

 down again. Usually it is a good thing to cut the 

 roots and check the early feeding. After the field has 

 come into bearing, no other crops should be planted in 

 the field, and the cultivation be simply for the rhubarb. 

 The ground must be cultivated in the spring, but 

 after the pulling season is over, the field will usually 

 take care of itself. The large green leaves shade the 

 ground and prevent other plants from growing, though 

 here and there weeds may spring up ; these may be 

 pulled or cut. 



MARKETING. 



When the field begins to bear, which was stated above 

 to be when the plants are three years old. The earli- 

 est leaves are pulled when the stalks are about eight 

 inches long. At this size they are quite tender, and 

 care must .be exercised not to injure them in pulling. 

 Later in the season the stalks are allowed to grow 

 longer before pulling, but the earlier ones are the 

 higher priced. 



The pullers gather the leaves until they have an 

 armful, when it is laid down beside the road. After a 

 portion of the field has been pulled, a wagon is driven 



