320 
Flemish Manure. 
Avinter, and the remaining fourth in spring, before the young 
plants are put in. 
For beetroot, also, the sugar-boilers in general forbid, and 
rightly, the use of liquid manure, especially if applied in excess. 
Nevertheless, near Lille, when the beetroot does not succeed 
tobacco, night-soil is applied, not only before, the sowing, but — 
which is still more injurious to its saccharine properties — after 
it is up. It is impossible to speak positively as to the quantity 
used — the farmer is guided in this by his relations with the 
sugar-manufacturer. If the crop promises to be abundant, it 
will be his object to improve its saccharine qualities, for fear 
he should not find sale for it — and then he manures in modera- 
tion. If, on the contrary, the plant is thin, and the demand 
active, he will take the opposite course, and the sugar will be 
made from vile roots, charged with salts, which sometimes com- 
pletely prevent the crystallisation of the sugary matter. 
In the case of beetroot grown for the stock, the farmer may give 
free course to his passion for fertilising, and use liquid manure 
in profusion. This plant is often dressed with a proportion of 
from 4500 to 5500 gallons per acre, and it is not uncommon 
thus to obtain a produce of from 32 to 36 tons of roots per acre. 
It is, at the same time, acknowledged that a moderate quantity 
of Flemish manure is not injurious to the saccharine qualities of 
beetroot intended for sugar — provided always that it be applied 
to the soil before the crop is sown, and used in the place of a 
like quantity of rape-cake and farmyard-manure. It may even 
be said that by this plan the germination of the seed is often 
made more regular. 
The seed of the beet has a very slightly developed perisperni 
(or kernel). The young plants, on first coming up, can draw but 
very little nourisliment from their mother-store. They are soon 
obliged to have recourse to the nutritive particles deposited in 
.the soil ; and if these are wanting they droop, and fall more or 
less a prey to insects. If, in the hope of saving the crop, the 
farmer then applies liquid manure, the plants which remain will 
acquire an unnatural growth, the roots will be of bad quality, 
and the crop very defective. 
It follows, then, that for plants so constituted it is reasonable 
to manure before the sowing. There are, besides, many other 
reasons in favour of the practice. 
Wheat, which follows beetroot, is often grown without ma- 
nure ; but if desirable, either in winter or spring, Flemish 
manure may be applied to give vigour to the more weakly part 
of the crop. It must be borne in mind that this manure is a 
most valuable auxiliary to all progressive agriculture. As a 
general rule it is better to apply it before sowing, and with farm- 
