Beet-root Distillery. 
71 
factories exist, the kind of beet-root generally cultivated is that 
known under the name of Silesian. Its mode of cultivation does 
not greatly differ from that pursued in England. The soil is 
broken up soon after harvest by a shallow ploughing. During 
the autumn and beginning of winter manure is carted upon the land, 
whenever the wheat-sowing will allow. Sometimes the manure 
is put in by a very shallow ploughing, which merely covers it 
with a thin layer of soil ; and then, in the midst of the winter, it 
is further buried to a depth of at least ten inches. Early in the 
spring, as soon as the weather will allow, the surface is com- 
minuted with repeated harrowing, clod-crushing, &c. The 
harrows generally used are made of wood, but iron ones are 
gradually getting into use. The time of sowing is between the 
15th of April and the 15th of May. After sowing, the land is 
- heavily rolled. The seed is generally drilled in rows 20 inches 
apart. As soon as the plants appear, and the lines are clearly 
discernible, the field is horse-hoed, in order to eradicate the first 
weeds. A few days later, when a second crop of weeds has ^rown, 
the intervals are again horse-hoed ; and then come the hand-hoe 
and the labourer's hands to thin and single the plants, &c. 
The land is generally so foul in France, and, for want of the 
application of stimulating manures, the growth of the young 
plant is so slow, that frequent hoeings are required, in order to 
keep the plant from being smothered. 
The majority of farmers, who have no horse-hoes, are obliged to 
use the hand-hoe, and thus four distinct operations are necessary. 
The first, when the lines are visible, to destroy the weeds be- 
tween the rows. 
The second, when the plants have four leaves, to thin and 
isolate the bunches. 
The third, to finally single the plants, clear away the weeds, 
and loosen the soil. 
These operations take place from the end of May to the end of 
June. 
The fourth operation clears the crop of the last weeds ; this 
takes place in July. 
The average cost of these four operations is about lis. Sd. per 
acre : — the first costing about 2s, 9c?. ; the second, 6s. ; the third, 
5s. ; and the fourth, 3s. 6c?. 
Mangolds are pulled off in October and the beginning of No- 
vember ; they are then stored in heaps partly sunk in the ground, 
and covered either with straw or sods. The pulling off and 
loading in the waggons costs about 12s. per acre. 
The sugar manufacturers have an interest in commencing their 
operations early. They generally press the farmers, with whom 
they enter into contracts, to begin delivering the roots from the 
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