392 [Assembly 



the root to bring it to perfection, therefore the stem when form- 

 ing the flower buds should be cut off sufficiently low to take all 

 the buds ; enough of the plant will be left to draw up and cir- 

 culate the sap, and keep nature in her proper course. 



By this means a large quantity of rich juice, intended by na- 

 ture to perfect the plant to ripeness, will go to the main root ; 

 the horizontal roots having been taken off the useful part of the 

 plant will be surprisingly increased, so that in the autumn of 

 the first season the roots will be very strong and greatly increas- 

 ed. As the cold weather approaches the stalks dwindle away 

 and die, and from this period the second season takes its date. 

 Early the following spring, at least two weeks before the plants 

 begin to shoot, the horse hoe should be sent to cut a deep furrow 

 in the centre of every four and a half feet opening, and at the 

 same time the hand hoers must cut up all the weeds that may 

 grow in the partitions ; after this operation very little if any care 

 will be necessary, as the growth ot the plants will be too strong 

 to suffer any annoyance from weeds. 



The four and a half feet intervals will require horse hoeing 

 when the weeds grow, as in the preceding summer, to prevent 

 their further growth, and to give new supplies of nourishing sap 

 to the main roots, as well as to cut off and destroy the horizontal 

 ones. This operation is performed precisely as mentioned for 

 the first season. By this means the crop will increase as it ought 

 in every particular, and this season the whole care will be at an 

 end. In autumn when the plants wither, is the proper time to 

 take up the roots, this must be done \\ith great care and circum- 

 spection, for the more they are lacerated and broken in the 

 ground, the more injury accrues to the madder grower, in the 

 loss of roots. The regular method of planting will here be ap- 

 preciated, by the men employed to take them up, as they will 

 know where to look for tliem one by one, and where they may, 

 and where they may not work among them. 



• When the roots are taken from the ground, they must be cleaned 

 and all the dirt taken off, and after a quantity of the best sets are 

 separated for a new plantation, the balance are to be dried for 

 sale. There is do danger but that the dyer will always be a 



