222 



Cultivation of Beet. 



with sheep on the land ; mangold leaves from their succulent 

 texture have a purging effect on sheep if given alone ; but as before 

 said, if swedes are transplanted to fill up the vacancies in the 

 crop, and then fed off with the m.angold leaves, they will act as a 

 corrective ; of course chaff or hay should be given in addition. 

 Barley or wheat follows the beet crop ; the latter is to be pre- 

 ferred in a favourable season, and it will be found that if the 

 quantity should not quite equal that grown after clover, yet the 

 quality of the grain will be above the average. 



8. The description of Stock to the use of which Beet is usually 

 applied, and the advantages of the use of Beet as compared 

 with other Roots, at the particular time at which it is so applied. 



The great advantage of beet over other roots, is the ease with 

 which it may be kept in a sound state through the winter and 

 spring, and, if required, through the summer, and hence its value 

 for spring food ; no other root grown for feeding cattle is found to 

 equal mangold-wurzel in keeping sound after it has been removed 

 from the land ; the carrot will keep well till late in the spring, 

 but it is a difficult crop to cultivate on stiff soils that produce 

 heavy crops of beet. Turnips and swedes, though inferior to 

 beet in storing, are yet superior to it for the purposes of feeding 

 cattle during autumn and winter, and for folding with sheep ; 

 for the latter purpose beet will never be extensively used, from its 

 inability to withstand frost, and from its requiring to be kept some 

 time before it is suitable food : for even when stored on the land 

 in small heaps, which is sometimes done, and then fed off, it must 

 drive the barley-sowing too late in the season. 



Mangold has the advantage over the turnip in its freedom from 

 disease or injury from vermin in its young state : it is suited to 

 strong land on which the turnip will not succeed; and also from 

 its being off the land earlier, which is of particular advantage on 

 wet land ; and last, though not least, it is greatly superior to the 

 turnip for spring food. 



Mangold-wurzel will supply food to cattle after the time that 

 turnips and swedes have been consumed till the clover and grasses 

 have arrived at maturity ; and it may also be given with great 

 advantage with green food during summer. 



But the great object in the growth of beet, added to its easy 

 cultivation, its abundant produce, and great fattening properties, 

 is the supply of spring food either to fat cattle, milch cows, or 

 sheep. 



Beet is given to fat cattle after the white turnips and swedes are 

 consumed ; and when the cattle are getting forward in condition, 

 a gradual change being made from one root to another. When 

 given early in the season they will always be found to have a purg- 



