On the Cultivation of Mangold- Wurz el. 299 



By this table, it is apparent that equal quantities of swede turnip 

 and orange-globe mangold-wurzel contain very different propor- 

 tions of nutritive matter, the latter more than doubling the former 

 in quantity ; and should the mangold-wurzel be of equally easy 

 culture with the Swedish turnip, it seems almost unaccountable 

 that it should not yet have come into more general cultivation. 

 I have grown the common red sort for six, the sugar-beet for four, 

 and the orange-globe for three years ; these kinds have regularly 

 come into course with swedes upon light land; the product has 

 always been equal, in most cases far heavier. The swede turnip 

 has enemies innumerable ; I have never observed the mangold- 

 wurzel attacked either by fly, slug, or wire worm. Equally a 

 cleansing crop with the swede, it stores better, and lasts good for a 

 longer period. In the summer of this year I was using sugar- 

 beet with stall-fed cattle, which cut perfectly good and crisp in 

 August. The mode of culture I adopt up to depositing the seed 

 in the ground is the same as that adopted in Northumberland for 

 ridging the swede ; great care, however, must be taken that the 

 seed of the mangold-wurzel is not buried too deep, or it will not 

 vegetate. Dibbling, as you never can ensure an equal depth, does 

 not answer ; nor does the seed drill well, if properly prepared by 

 steeping, which I should recommend, for at least twenty-four 

 hours before planting. To ensure, therefore, a proper depth, 

 I have been in the habit of using an iron wheel, round the outer 

 circumference of which, 18 inches apart, iron points project, 

 broad at the base and tapering towards the point, about 2J- inches 

 long ; this is wheeled upon the top of the ridge, the man walking 

 in the furrow, and thus holes are formed which can never run 

 into the excess of too great depth, and into which the seeds are 

 deposited by women and boys following the wheel, and generally 

 covering the seed by drawing the foot as they advance at right 

 angles with the ridge over the holes; the roller follows, and thus 

 the sowing terminates. One man with the wheel will keep six 

 persons well employed in depositing the seed after him. This 

 system was recommended me by my friend Mr. Webb Hall, 

 and since I have adopted it my crop has never failed. 



The after culture to the storing is similar to that of the swede ; 

 great care, however, should be taken in never permitting two 

 plants to grow in the same spot, which will be the case frequently, 

 should only one capsule even be deposited in each hole, as every 

 capsule contains many seeds. Should the tops remain uncut, the 

 plant will stand a considerable degree of frost ; it should, however, 

 be stored early in November ; the best and cheapest method is to 

 build it up against some high wall contiguous to your beast-sheds, 

 not more than 7 or 8 feet deep, carried up square to a certain 

 height, and then tapering in a roof to the top of the wall ; protect 



