MANGEL WURTZEL. MARJORAM ORIGANUM, 197 



found surrounded with small yellow offsets, at the depth 

 of two inches ; and early in September, the earth from the 

 alleys is to be dug out, and laid over the plants of madder, 

 to the height of two or three inches. With this, the first 

 year's operation ceases. 



''The second year's work begins in May, with giving 

 the bed > a thorough ^veeding ; and care must be taken to 

 sa]>p!y choixi with plenty of water during the summer. In- 

 September, the first crop of seed will be ripe; at w^hich 

 time the stems of the plants may be mown down, and the 

 rools covered a few inches with earth, taken as before out 

 of the alleys. 



" The weeding should take place as early as possible in the 

 spring of the third year ; and the crop, instead of being left 

 for seed, may be cut three times, daring summer, for green 

 fodder, all kinds of cattle being remarkably fond of it. 



" in October, the roots are taken up, the offsets carefully 

 separated, and immediately used to form a new plantation ; 

 and the roots, after being dried, are sold, either without 

 .further preparation, or ground to a coarse powder, and 

 sprinkled with an alkaline lie* 



" The roots lose four fifths of their weight in drying; 

 and the produce of an acre is about two thousand pounds 

 weight of dry, saleable madder." 



" Madder usually sells for about thirty-two dollars per 

 hundred ; so that the produce of an acre, as above staled, 

 would amount to six hundred and forty dollars.''— tamer's 



MANGEL WURTZEL,— Beet. 



MARJORAM ORIGANUM.— Of ibis herb there ,are 

 f-^ur different species cultivated; the poij sweet, winter, and 

 comraoii. 



Pot marjoram — O. ordtes — is a baroy, perennial, under 

 s'lriib, a native of Italy. The stem rises more than a foot 

 liigh, and is covered v^ itli spreading hairs ; the leaves are 

 small and acute^ almost sessile, and downy on both sides. 

 It h in tlovver from July to November, and is propagated 

 from seed, but chiefly from rooted slips. 



Sweet marjoram — O. rriarjorana — is a i;ardy biennial, 

 a nalive of Portugal. It resembles the O. Onitcs^ but the 

 leavf's have distinct petioles, a,nd the flowers, which appear 

 in J rie and July, are coUected in small, close heads ; and 

 hence it is riftPTi called knofted irnrjorain. When in blos- 

 f'^-i. the lierb i^: cul over, ni^d nvl^d for winter use, so that 

 'i sowL.i^ r^^qvires to be made every year. 



