and Experiments on the Keeping Qualities of Boots. 161 
the difference in distance from each other at which the roots 
were planted. 
3. That the specific gravity of the juice decreased as the 
distance between the plants was increased. 
4. That the proportion of sugar in the juice varied with the 
distance between the plants, from 8" ( J7 per cent, in plot 5 planted 
20 inches apart, and 11*G8 per cent, on plot 1, where the roots 
were planted only 10 inches apart. 
On the Continent, no doubt, one of the benefits of planting 
sugar-beet rather close is to protect the land against undue 
evaporation of moisture ; but the chief reason of planting closely 
is to induce early maturity of the roots. Of course, the distance 
at which sugar-beets give the heaviest and richest crop in one 
country is no guide whatever to growers of swedes and turnips 
in this country. As a rule, it will be found that mangolds are 
planted quite as wide apart in England as swedes and turnips, 
if not wider ; and I believe this is one of the reasons why the 
mangold crop generally is taken up from the ground in a less 
mature condition than swedes, which may be left much longer 
in the autumn in a growing state in the soil than mangolds. 
My chief object in referring to the experiments of planting sugar- 
beets at different distances is to direct attention to the circum- 
stance that too wide a distance is unfavourable to early maturity. 
This is applicable in a smaller or larger extent to all root-crops, 
varying with the character of their foliage and the system of 
manuring that is practised, as well as the nature of the soil in 
which the roots are grown. I believe it is not a good plan to 
plant swedes too wide apart, and I have frequently heard the 
same opinion expressed by our best practical men. In many 
cases a larger crop, and of better quality, would be produced on 
many soils in England if swedes were planted closer. Strictly 
speaking, the argument founded on the growth of sugar-beets in 
France does not apply in its integrity to swedes grown in this 
country. Although it places in perhaps too strong a light the 
benefits resulting from close planting, and is thus not applicable 
to the same extent to swedes and turnips grown in England, it 
has to be borne in mind that I give no directions as regards the 
distance at which swedes should be planted, and that my object 
in calling attention to the French experiments is to show that 
roots mature more readily when planted closer, and often yield a 
heavier crop per acre, than when they are planted too wide apart. 
The character and quality of the manures employed in 
growing roots have a powerful influence on their composition 
and feeding-qualities. Land highly manured with rich dung 
made in fattening-boxes or stalls induces luxuriant and vigorous 
VOL. XIII. — S. S. M 
