328 CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



ing deposited its eggs under the skin of the plant, but it is 

 the plant being in a diseased state, which is the cause of 

 this. I will conclude by saying again, that high cultiva- 

 tion, with stimulating manures, &c., do render the plant 

 more tender; therefore we ought to be more careful with 

 the seed we sow. Let it be borne in mind, as said before, 

 we have a twofold branch to study along with art, we 

 have the law of nature to consider. We may improve on 

 nature by doing the right way, but if our love of lucre 

 causes us to do otherwise, depend upon it we will ulti- 

 mately suffer." 



126. Mangold Wurtzel. This of the root crops is the 

 next in importance to the turnip, and large quantities are 

 now grown in this country for feeding purposes. The bo- 

 tanical name is beta vulgaris; it is adapted to a wide 

 variety of soils ; those, however, of a medium quality are 

 best suited for heavy crops. There are two principal 

 varieties of the crop the long and the globe, of which 

 the latter is best adapted to the heavy or comparatively 

 heavy soils, the former to the light. The land for the crop 

 is prepared in the same way as for turnips the seed being 

 drilled by machine, or dibbled by hand or machine on the 

 tops of the ridges. If dibbled, the distances between the 

 "stools" should be from 12 to 15 inches, according to the 

 variety long or globe, the depth to which the seed is 

 to be deposited being from ^ to 1 inch. The period of 

 sowing the seed is earlier than that for turnips, namely, 

 from the 1st to the 15th of April the quantity of seed 

 required being 7 Ibs. per acre. The seed should be steeped 

 in water some twenty -four or thirty hours before sowing, if 

 sown as late as the end of April or beginning of May. The 

 crop will repay a heavy dressing of farm-yard manure, with 

 a good dose of superphosphate. The plant being a littoral 

 or sea- shore one, common salt should be applied in the 

 manure to the crop ; from two to three cwt. per acre will be 

 a fair amount to use. 



127. Beet-Root. This crop, which closely resembles the 



