TAKING-UP OF THE ROOT CROPS. 361 



ripened, and especially in the condition it is at present, 

 excites the dormant or undeveloped stages of the disease ; 

 and hence the rapid course which we already read of its 

 running in roots that have been recently lifted. A good 

 many, seeing the stems totally destroyed, imagine that the 

 crop is fully ripe, and may be stored when the weather is 

 favourable. This, however, is a highly dangerous practice, 

 and it is better to wait till the bracing weather of October 

 shall have so far dried the soil and ripened or hardened 

 the roots. Dry weather in the latter part of October is 

 much to be desired ; for unless the crop is stored free from 

 wet, there will be more or less decay in the pits. The 

 sound and the diseased roots can never be better separated 

 than when the crop is ploughed up. They are far more 

 easily distinguished at that time, and the unsound roots 

 can be consumed on the farm or sent to the farina mills. 

 Turning over and picking out the diseased in the pits is 

 both an expensive and unsatisfactory process, as it rather 

 encourages the progress of decay among those roots that are 

 sound." 



157. (c.^ Mangold Wurtzel. The <end of October is the 

 usual time for taking up this crop. The roots are care- 

 fully pulled up, and the tops and roof fibres cut off by 

 a sharp-sickle or knife, the roots being laid on one side of 

 the ridge, the leaves and rootlets on the other. If the 

 weather is fine, the roots may be left exposed to be dried 

 by the sun and air. If the weather is doubtful, the best 

 way is to lay the roots in heaps ; and if rain comes on, to 

 cover them up with the leaves, which are usually placed in 

 heaps in the ridges. When the roots are ready to be 

 stored they are carried to the yard or to those parts of the 

 field where they are intended to be stored; a layer of straw 

 is placed, of considerable thickness, in the bottom of a shal- 

 low trench, or what is better, upon a layer of stones or 

 broken bricks, and upon this bottom the roots are placed, 

 and gradually built up, the roots being placed with their 

 thick ends outwards the whole heap assuming a sloping 

 or roof-like form at top and well covered with straw, 

 2 A 



