Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-04-02

esPectihB Inc cuttuTe OF tne sugar Dect anu
.angel w~urtzel, from the American Farm.
er, in the hope that some of our planters
adopt their cultivation. There is,
perhaps, no better food for mich cows
none that gives the same richness and
abundance to the tactical glands. They
also a good food for sheep and hogs,
and the little expense with which they are
c""'vated, renders them of inestimable
value o''a stock farm.
we invite % this subject the attention
OIL some our more osalent planters. These
can make experiments .vithout incurrino
the risk of material losses, ..d if il thew
who should introduce into the cou,.-v s,ch
Innovations as will contribute to TIE &C..
raj wealth, and the ease and comfort Of
their poorer n%eighbors.
CrIftnx OF SUGAR BsErs AND M,~GsL
WURrzEL.-As the culture of both these vari-
cites of beets is precisely the same, we shall
Itdl BOth u1"rl OlC SCHrIdI HChu. Auu Df-
fore we proceed to lay down our plan of treat
ment, we will say TO our agricultural brethren,
that if they consult their interest, OF give heed
to the comfort of their mich cows, they will a,
once proceed to make arrangements for enter
ing into the culture, though their first expert
ment may be made upon a single acre. AT 3
pounds to the acre, that quantity Of ground
will produce upwards of a thousand bushels,
and when we say that we have seen beets, of
either variety, weighing more than tWenty
pounds, we think we cannot be charged with
exaggeration when we assume 3 lbs. as the
average weight Of an agreeable product. With
this brief introduction, we shall now proceed
to give such directions as we believe will en-
sure a good crop.
4 Preparation Of the ground-As soon as The
ground is sufficiently dry for the purpose, it
should be ploughed up with a strong team and
heavy plough, as deep as possible. The
%ploughing completed, let the harrow reduce
the clods by being passed over the ground
lengthwise and cross-wise. The ground thus
prepared should be permitted to remain until
just before it is time for putting in the seed,
when manure-well rotted is be,t-should be
hauled on and evenly spread over the surface,
at the rate of twenty double horse carloads,
say 40 bushels each, to the acre. As spread,
this manure should be ploughedi in about three
inches decp-As soon as this second plough
ing is finished, the ground should be thorough
ly narrowed to render the filth fine, after which
the roller should be passed over it, when it will
be in a condition for seeding, which operation
should be performed as soon thereafter as pos
sible, as it is a~ll-important to put the seed into
a fresh bed.
Time Of ~planhng.-For a general crop, from
the middle of April to the 10th of May is the
period when the seed should be sown, tho
good sized beets could be raised, in strong
ground, at a much later period, say the last of
May. We however recommend early plant
ing.
OfMe soiA-The soil best adapted TO the
growth of beets, is a deep loan, or rich sand
moderately dry.
Method Of ~phmting.-Tf You have a drilling
machine, (and if you have not one we would
advise you to get one,) all you will have to do
is to p1, your seed in it, and after steaking of
your ground in rows tWo feet apart, to drill in
your seed. But if you have no machine, then
get a wide mouth bottle, or tin horn with the
large end stopped, put your seed into one or
the other, and after having a drill made an
inch deep, go along the drill with your bottle,
OF horn, in hand, and drop the seed theretrom,
about 4 inches apart, lie, a hand follow the
dropper with a rake, and cover over the seed
as dropped, reversing the rake and pressing
down the furrow with its back.
In this way, two smart, active hands could
put in an acre aday. With a machine, 4 acres
may be put in in the same time with ease
The machine makes the furrow, drops the
seed, covers them, and rolls the ground all al
the same time.
Preparation ofMe seed, and quantity to Mt
ncre.-Make a decoction Of horse dung, in suf
fcicnt quantity to float the seed; into this put in
the proportion Of a ounces of s~altpetre to each
gallon. In this soak the seed from "a to 4s
hours, when they will be fit for drilling. As
you take them out for that purpose roll them
in plaster; 2lb. of seed to the acre is about the
right quantity, though l Id. sowed with grea
care would answer.
After Cuhuye.-After the bcets come up ant
are 8 or 4 inches high, let careful hands &C
through them and thin them out, so as to stane
from 8 to IL inches apart in the rows. Ant
as the beets generally come up double, on
must be drawn out, otherwise they are liabl'
10 grow crooked or lap over each other, an
materially lessen the product. At the tim
this thinning is going on, the beets should hav
the ground stirred around them and between
the rows, SO as to loosen the earth, and cut NJ
every vestige of weeds or grass.
If a:small cultivator, l5 inches wide, Wer
to be procured, to run between the rows, i
would lessen the cost of culture wonderfully
as then the hoes would only have to stir tn
earth around and betweenf the roots. Tn
great object in cultivating these roots, is t
keep the grass and weeds down until tn
leaves expand sufficiently to repress thel
growth. In a word, keep the earth loose an
clean; but merer hill. If the cultivator be pas
sed three times through them, and the hoer
weed between and around the roots that mum
Der of times e1ectually, the business Of cul
ture will be found to have been performed.
Pulling the kaues.-Late in the summe
when pastures begin to decline, and afford bu
little succulent food to the mich cattle, tn
leaves of either of these beets will be foundt
furnish a most excellent resource, as they ma
be stripped of all their foliage except the crow
leavesJwithout inlurys.o the root, at least thre
times between that time and their being hal
vested. In stripping the leaves, they shout
be pinched of with the finger and thumb.
We have thus early called attention to tn
subject, in the hpoe that it may awaken a SUI
feient degree of enterprise to induce many I
commence the culture, as we are certain tina
if they once make a beginning, they will col
tlnue it.
How intellectually would the tone of CO,
versation be improved, if it offered no e,
ceptions to the example Of BEvERIpeE!
resolve never to speak Of a mans virtue
to his face, nor of his faults behind his back
A golden rule! the observation of whie
would at once Danish hatterv and defam