52 FARM>GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 



to the rows, after which thin by hand to four inches for 

 early, or six inches for late crop. 



Those pulled out from the very early crops are sold by 

 gardeners in market as u beet-greens," and usually bring 

 more than enough to pay the labor of thinning. After 

 thinning, work deeply with a pronged hoe, and but little 

 more labor will be required, and this only on late crops, 

 which may need a further push-hoeing, and possibly some 

 hand-weeding again, but a narrow push-hoe must bo used, 

 and care taken to avoid cutting the growing root, which 

 Avould cause it to burst or crack open, and thus be spoiled. 

 To grow for feeding stock, the same preparation of soil is 

 essential. Mark out rows thirty inches apart ; sow evenly, 

 and thin to ten inches in the row; this is, of course, pre- 

 suming that the large varieties will be grown, they being 

 the most profitable for such purposes. Here the ground 

 may be worked with a cultivator, and the thinning done 

 in a great measure by the hoe. It will be advantageous 

 to rim the push-hoe along each side of the row before the 

 plants are large enough to admit the use of the cultiva- 

 tor, and thus destroy the weeds in the germ. Some re- 

 commend the plan of furrowing out rows three feet apart, 

 filling with rotted manure, and sowing on a ridge formed 

 by covering the manure deeply with earth, raking the 

 top before sowing. This plan answers where the land has 

 been but shallow worked, but where the condition of the 

 soil will admit of deep plowing, or moderately so, the 

 system of broadcast manuring and sowing on a level sur- 

 face will be found the best. 



Preparing for Market, Early-sown beets are usually 

 pulled when about two inches in diameter. All super- 

 fluous leaves and fibrous roots are cut away ; the bulbs or 

 roots are carefully washed singly with a soft brush, and 

 tied in flat bunches of five to seven. The main crop is 

 usually harvested about the * middle of October, some- 

 times later, but they must not be allowed to become 



