330 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



aration for feeding, they are either cut up into small pieces 

 with a corn knife, or shredded by a machine. They are 

 usually fed in connection with grain or concentrates, and 

 are valuable as feeds because of their succulence and their 

 laxative effect. The tops of the mangels which are re- 

 moved at harvest time are also used as feed. 



343. Cultural methods. — The seed bed for mangels 

 must be well prepared and free from weeds. It is usually 

 best when possible to plow the land deeply in the fall 

 and prepare the seed bed the following spring by repeated 

 disking and harrowing. The seed of mangels is slow to 

 germinate and the young plants grow slowly at first, 

 giving weeds, if they are present, a chance to become well 

 established before the mangels are up. It is almost 

 necessary, therefore, to have the field free from weeds 

 before the seeding is done. The seed of mangels, like 

 those of sugar beets, is produced in a " ball " which con- 

 tains from 1 to 5 seeds. It is impossible, therefore, to 

 regulate the rate of seeding to get the desired distribu- 

 tion of plants. This must be done by thinning when the 

 plants are about 2 inches high. The seed is drilled in, 

 either with a beet seed drill or with a grain drill. The rows 

 should be made 28 or 30 inches apart to permit of culti- 

 vation. If a grain drill is used, this can be accomplished 

 by using every third drill hoe, the remainder being stopped 

 up. From 8 to 12 pounds of seed per acre are required. 

 The seed should be covered about one inch deep, and the 

 seeding should be done as soon in the spring as the weather 

 will permit. 



344. The cultivation consists in thinning to the desired 

 stand, usually one plant per foot, and further cultivation 

 to keep down the weeds. Mangels should be harvested as 

 soon as they cease growing, which is indicated by the drop- 



