The Culture of the Beet

beets have been gathered from it, even where there was only three or four inches of vegetable earth, resting on a bed of chalk. This species of soil uses up manure quicker than others. A gravelly soil is not very good for the beet. The large tap-root, in penetrating the earth to get its food, encounters stones and pebbles, which retard its progress and split it into forks; then, in order that nourishment may be conveyed laterally, radicles, which are of little value, are multiplied. Still it must be admitted that the beet may flourish on gravelly soil; but it would be well to appropriate it to forage rather than to manufacturing. The stones, as far as practicable, should be removed. Saline soils are to be eschewed, but they are considered favorable for beets designed for feeding and fattening cattle. Soils too sandy may generally be amended with considerable facility. For the most part they rest upon a clayey bottom, five or six feet below the surface. This may be taken up, pulverized and mixed with great advantage. Clayey marls produce surprising effects on this soil, and favor in an eminent degree the growth and saccharification of the beet. Sandy, like calcareous soils, consume manure too quick. It follows that stiff, cold, clayey land may be benefited by sand, but it ought to be mixed with lime and stable manure. Calcareous marls are also proper and perhaps preferable. Calcareous soils of the heavier sort, may be benefited by the application of sa...