The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-04-03 00:00:00

Corrtsponbcnce.

PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE.

LETTse No. VII.

ON TUB V•LUZ OF THE MANGOLD WURZILL CROP,
WHY ITS ACKHAGS SHOULD BE INCKILASED, •ND
HOW TO MAKE Cuurtvamos

To the Editor:of the Dorset
_County Erpreso and

A gricadiur ,tt Gazette.

Dorchester, 31st March, 1860.

Si.—l suppose you have heard a great deal about
urangold wurzel lately, as I have seen wady reports
in your paper of farmers' clubs; but, as far as I
have been able to judge, your read...re have not
profited much from these discussions ; for they hare
been of the most expensive kind—that is, they bare
laid down plans for the cultivation of mangold
wurzul which would render it an impossibility fur
any common farmer to grow this valuable root to
any extent; and, upon calculating the expense of
the best of these plans, " Profitable Agriculture"
will only say —When will madness cease?
Now, Sir, with regard to the value of this crop. I
think the present season proves beyond • doubt
that, as its name implies, it is • root of scarcity, fOr
never has marigold been in greater request; in fact,
on many farms the lb hole of the live stock are at
the present moment entirely depending upon it.
This being so, who will be bold enough to tell MO
that its acreage should not be increased? I mu
sure that if farmers generally would grow double the
number of acres of this rout of scarcity they would
seldom have cause to complain of the sheirtaess Of
keep; and I se* plainly that the reason this has
not been done is, because no common practical and
inexpensive mode of cultivation has ever been laid
down with a chance of success. This being SO 55
sufficient reason for treating this as a subject of great
importance.
Tire marigold is a very hardy plant, easy of culture,
anti not requiring any particular soil or climate ;
indeed, so easily may a heavy crop per acre be
grown, that no large arable Dursetshire farm should
have less than fifty to one hundred acres annually.
It may be done in this way :—Any land that
has been fed oft in March or the beginning of
such as weak clovers or other grasses, may now be
mitered end cleaned ; (1 will mention that the 0141
plan of fallow all the winter will not pay). This
being dune, I should recommend tbat all the
able yard manure of the farm be carted out in such
quantities per acre as will make it cover the wbols
of the land required, and that none remain; the'
give one good deep ploughing perhaps the deerf,
the better—and if the land hasbeer.well mitered sou
worked down previous to carting the manure, this
one ploughing will be as well for marigold IS
and the whole expense of the winter fallow will bi
saved without any loan in the tons of roots ell
acre; and by having the spring feed for the sheeP,l
profit will be made in this way, and another prot
on some other part of the farm in the shape of more
corn; for the more acres of feed the more elleeP
corn;
bekept ; and the more
beingoresheep the Du°
an mure ; then, the more manure will r
thus the whole produce
extra outlay, the farmers' clubs of
over a new leaf, and see that this is
adopted.
I will now refer your readers to
and subscribe myself,

insult in woo

being greater
Dorset •

without

,et may tura
the plan to is
my next lade,

ICULTIIRE-
Dotb°4
,ying bees Pr",
; and whi
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44
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