30 



and disadvantages. We shall now examine them in suc- 

 cession and explain the methods, practiced. 



Section I. — Sowing the beet seed broad east. This 

 mode is liable to many objections. 



1. The increased quantity of seed required from the 

 irregularity with which it is necessarily spread, 



2. The operation of thinning (where too thick) to do 

 which without injury to the plants intended to remain, re- 

 quires experience, and attention, this is not a serious diffi- 

 culty 



3. The tra7ispl.anii?ig, to replace deficiences in the rows 

 is attended with weighty objections in the first place it is 

 necessary to wait before this should be undertaken till the 

 plant has attained the size of the finger ; that is about a 

 month or six weeks after the vegetation has begun, at this 

 time the plants are growing vigorously, and after thinning, 

 (which is done simultaneously with the first weeding) the 

 root which has not been disturbed, in a fortnight has under- 

 gone a surprising change, whilst the transplanted ones are 

 languishing under the effects of their removal, and before 

 they recover their vigor, are frequently over shadowed and 

 stifled, by their robust and thriving neighbors, or at least re- 

 main weak and puny plants, nevertheless wherever the 

 broad cast method is practised, no doubt transplanting is an 

 unavoidable consequence and must be done, but much return 

 need not be expected from the plants so treated. On the 

 whole this mode of sowing though frequently practised in 

 France, is decidedly very inferior to sowing in drills, of 

 which we shall presently speak, which last method must 

 necessarily prevail over every other now practised, as soon 

 as its advantages are properly understood. 



Section II. — Soioing in nursery beds for the purpose of 

 transplanting the whole crop. This method is recommended 

 by De Domballe: the seed is sown in beds prepared in the 



