Various Notices^ 32*5 
that part of the alley which is not otherwise occupied may be sowrt 
with legumes. 
The madder seed is sown broad cast in the proportion of from 
55 ibs. to 30 lbs. per acre, about the end of April. In a fortnight 
or three weeks the yoUng plants begin to appear, and from this 
time to the month of September, care must be taken to keep the 
ground well Watered and free from weeds ; if the plants are eX“ 
“amined in autumn they will be found surrounded with small yeU 
low offsets, at the depth of two inches ; and early in September the 
earth from the alleys is to be dUgout, and laid over the plants of 
madder to the heights of two or three feet, with this the first year’s 
operation finishes. The second year’s work begins in May, with 
giving the beds a thorough weeding, and care must be taken to sup=» 
ply them with plenty of water during the summer ; in September 
the first crop of seed will be ripe, at which time the stems of the 
plants may be mown down, and the roots covered a few inches with 
earth taken as before out of the alleys. The weeding should take 
place as early as possible in the spring of the third year, and the 
crop, instead of being left for seed, may be cut three times during 
summer for green fodder, all kinds of cattle being remarkably 
fond of it. In October the roots are taken up, the offsets carefully 
separated and immediately used to form a new plantation, and the 
roots, after being dried, are sold, either without further prepara- 
tion, or ground to a coarse powder and sprinkled with an alkaline 
ley. The roots lose four-fifths of their weight in drying, and the 
produce of an acre is about two thousand pounds weight of dry 
saleable madder. 
“ I need not take up more of your time or place by pointing out 
the variety of uses this root is of, particularly in various colours 
for dying, nor pointing out the profit to be derived from a cultiva.- 
tion of this root, an acre producing a ton, saleable at more than 
120/.; but this would depend upon circumstances and the success 
of the cultivation. 
Your’s truly, 
K. K. 
Manchester i February^ 1810 . 
“ Respecting the subject of cultivating Madder in this countiy, 
we beg leave to inform our Correspondent, that it has already been 
attempted, but of the particulars attending it, or probable result, we 
are not yet so fully acquainted as to be sanguine in expectation of 
the result thereof ; in page 248, No. 15, VoL 3. will l>e seen a tio- 
Vol II. T/T 
