rive sooner at maturity and allow the process of crushing to commence early.
Of Hoeing.–Few plants suffer more than the beet from neglect, and the baneful influence of weeds in the first stages of its vegetation. The ground therefore has to be kept free of weeds, and it should be kept mellow during the plant’s development. Beets require one or two hand thinnings, and as many hand hoeings. The first of the hoeings should be about when four or five of the leaves have put out, the second in from three to five weeks afterwards. All the plants save one must be pulled up at the time of hoeing; if not properly thinned, there will be a cluster of leaves, but very small roots; where there are blanks, they should be filled up with those pulled up from where there are too many. After the rows have been carefully freed from weeds and properly thinned, the horse-hoe, cultivator, or drill harrow can be advantageously run between the rows. After each horse-hoeing, remove the earth thrown on by the harrow, &c. If any of the beets shoot out into the seed stalk, cut off these stalks, because this growth would be at the expense of the root.
Harvesting.–The evidences of the plant being ripe are a falling down of the leaves, and those of a bright green, turning yellow and brown. The influence of drought may bring on these appearances; the observing farmer will understand when this change is caused by heat, or want of moisture; indeed he has to attend to the weather, and the appearance of the approach of winter, that he may take advantage of all the crowing season, and at the same time not be too late in harvesting, and thereby expose the crop to be injured by frost. The roots should be pulled by hand, or assisted by the spade when necessary. Shake the earth off them, and be careful not to strike one against another or in any way bruise them: bruising disposes them to rot. Cut off the tops, being careful not to cut the beet. The leaves being cut off lessens the disposition of the root to vegetate, and it prepares them to be housed. The beets should lay on the ground until they are dry before they are housed.
Preservation.–The roots must not be left long on the ground exposed to the air, heat, and moisture; much heat or cold are both found detrimental, as a heat of fifty-six to sixty degrees Fahrenheit, in damp weather, will produce a fermentation sufficient to reduce the quantity of saccharine mailer; and on the other hand, beets freeze very readily, so that only a few degrees below thirty-two will dispose them to rot.
The best aired cellar is not better for securing the beet than a judiciously made pit. It is most prudent to make them large, because if a part of the contents of a pit begins to spoil, the disease will spread through the whole mass. They may be made from four to five feel wide, and eight, ten, or twelve long. One to two feet is deep enough; this hole is to be filled with beets, and piled up until they form a ridge, and the whole is to be covered with the earth dug from the pit; a drain should be cut round the heap, to carry off all water, it being of importance that the beet be kept dry, and for this reason, ground naturally dry should be selected for the pits: perhaps in our severe climate it may be necessary to spread a little straw or corn-stalks on the outside of the heaps, to keep out the frost; if put inside, it might rot and spoil the beets; and it may be useful to open the pits from time to time to air and keep them fresh, and if any are observed to spoil, they should be carefully taken out. The preserving of beets is the most difficult of all the branches connected with them.
Growing of the Seed.–It is only in the second year that it produces seed. The proper time for choosing the roots from which the seed is to be produced next year is when taking up the crop; these should be healthy, somewhat above the medium size in length and thickness; well formed and no ways forked, and of a fine light colour (if for sugar, perfectly white); they should be kept through winter in sand or dry earth, and placed in a temperate barn or cellar equally guarded from the influence of heat and cold. They should be planted out in March, or so soon as the land is in good order, and at the distance of two or three feet apart: the branches being liable to split off, and break down, have to be supported by slicks or frames. When the seed is ripe, which will generally be in September, the stalks are to be cut off and tied into bundles to dry, and then the seed is beaten off or removed from the stems by hand. The small seeds towards the outer end of the branches do not ripen well. The next process is to expose the seed to the sun, and then it is put into sacks and kept in a dry place, where mice and vermin shall not have access to it. The average yield of plants in France is from four to six ounces of good seed.
General Remarks.–The Beet is found, under some circumstances, to degenerate, the seed of the white plant producing yellow and red roots: this tendency may be checked by changing the seed from clay to sandy, and from sandy to clay soils. The seed, if carefully preserved from moisture, insects, and vermin, will keep for several years; but after four years, it will not be prudent to sow it. When the object is to make sugar, care should be taken to have seed that will produce white roots; and early sowing will afford the opportunity of commencing the crushing and boiling at an early period. The early bruisings produce the largest proportion of sugar.
When the Beet is employed in feeding cattle, one of the effects will be, to produce more and richer manure, and this will place in the farmer’s power the entire command of his farm; he can do with it whatever he pleases. Every encouragement is held out for the culture of beet. It being a green crop, draws much of its nourishment from the atmosphere; and in place of exhausting the land, leaves it in fine order, for any crop the farmer may choose to put on it. Beets in no way interfere with the cultivation of wheat, clover, barley, Indian corn, potatoes, turnips, &c. With the aid of a few beets, the profitable effects of that most useful grain, Indian corn, will be greatly increased in feeding cattle. Calves fed with beefs or roots in their first winter, will generally be as good animals at the end of two years, as those that have been fed the first winter on dry food and corn, will be at the end of three years.
VEGETABLES.
Artichoke.–Sow early in the Spring, in rows three inches apart, or plant suckers.
Asparagus.–Sow in April, in good rich soil.
Beans. English Dwarfs.–Plant as early in the Spring as the ground will work.
Kidney Dwarfs.–Plant from end of April to about 20th August.
Pole or Running.–Plant beginning of May, and at intervals through the season.
Beets.–Sow in drills, from early in the Spring till the middle of Summer. Leave the plants 6 to 8 inches apart in the drills.
Borecole is an excellent green. Sow in Fall, either broadcast or in drills, as for Winter Spinach.
Brussels Sprouts are cultivated for the small heads which are attached to the stem. Sow in the middle of Spring, and treat as Winter Cabbage.
Brocoli produces heads like Cauliflower. Sow in seed bed about the middle of Spring. Transplant in
