No. 129.] 325 



" We have never made any comparative trials as to the feeding 

 merits of beets; but those already published at least prove it to 

 be equal to swedes, and much superior to the common turnip, 

 and if we may judge from personal experience of its use, and 

 from daily observation, we should consider it inferior to the swede 

 for early use, but that no other root will bear comparison with it 

 for spring feeding ; and this is the opinion of a practical farmer, 

 whose name I would give with pride and satisfaction if I were at 

 liberty to do so, who has grown this root for nearly thirty years, 

 both upon a stiff clay loam and upon gravelly and sandy soils, 

 and with as much success as any farmer in the neighborhood. 

 From what has been said it will be seen that I do not conceive 

 that beet (however valuable it is,) will ever supersede the turnip, 

 or any other root generally grown ; but that it possesses many 

 qualities which will render its more extended cultivation a val- 

 uable boon to the farmer who holds land that is favorable to its 

 growth, whether upon the adhesive loams and alluvial soils of 

 the East of England or those of other districts, and even as far 

 North as the far-famed Carse of Gowrie. 



We cannot doubt that the growth of the beet will extend 

 to a much greater degree than any other root yet brought into 

 notice. Its recent introduction — scarcely half a century — will 

 justify this opinion. The varieties of beet worthy of attention 

 for cattle feeding are the long red, the long yellow, the red globe, 

 and the white sugar beet. It is thought the globe are most ap- 

 plicable to light soils. The land for beet requires an earlier, 

 though not widely different preparation, from the land for turnips. 

 It is sufficient that the land is clean and well pulverized • and 

 upon all soils, but more particularly those of an adhesive nature 

 it is essential that this preparation should be made in autumn^ and 

 that upon stiff soils more dependence should be placed upon the 

 frosts and rains of winter for a finely pulverized seed-bed than 

 upon any spring cultivation. Upon free working soils, of course 

 this is of comparatively trifling consequence ; therefore, upon 

 stiff soils we would recommend the land to be well worked in 

 the autumn, as early as possible after the removal of the grain 

 crop, and that farm-yard manure should then be ploughed in and 



