420 THE MANGOLD-WURZEL CROP. 



yard dung has been applied, as recommended, in the 

 autumn, or left until the spring, it is desirable to give an 

 additional supply of mariuriai matter, in the shape of a 

 top-dressing, which may either be harrowed in at the 

 time of preparing the field, or applied more directly to the 

 plants at the time of sowing, by means of the ordinary 

 manure-drill. For this purpose nothing is better than 

 Peruvian guano, carefully mixed with at least an equal 

 quantity of some other substance, as sand, coal- ashes, &c.; 

 and if passed through a coarse sieve, the dilution or sepa- 

 ration of its particles, the main object of mixing it, will be 

 more effectually secured. 



To all descriptions of manure used for this crop, whether 

 home-made or artificial, the addition of chloride of sodium 

 (common salt} is followed by most beneficial results. 

 The mangold is a direct descendant of a marine or 

 rather littoral plant, the "Beta maritima," growing 

 naturally on the shores of our own and other coasts, in 

 whose soils an abundant supply of salt is always to be 

 found. Our mangold, though greatly altered from the 

 original type by cultivation, still preserves its natural 

 habits, and chemistry has shown us (see analysis, p. 450), 

 how large the proportion of salt is in its general composi- 

 tion. In those parts of the country situated within a cer- 

 tain distance of the coast-line, the soil generally contains 

 a considerable quantity of salt, and therefore an addition 

 in the shape of a manurial application is less needed. 

 But in other places situated beyond the influence of the 

 salt-carrying sea winds and rains, the soil rarely contains 

 sufficient for the healthy growth of plants of this and of 

 similar origin the Brassica genus, for instance and we 

 must add it to our fields before we can expect them to 

 produce the crops which, from their general condition of 

 fertility, we might reasonably calculate upon. In all 

 cases we must recollect that production in a soil is deter- 



