Chapter IV: Appendix

_Workington Hall, Cumberland,
March 9, 1814._

SIR,

I had the pleasure of receiving your obliging favour last
night, with two copies of the publication on Mangel Wurzel. I have
cultivated that root for some years with success. From the Bishop of
Derry I learnt to apply the leaves to soiling my milch cows and pigs.
The leaves of a good crop are from 10 to 15 tons per acre. I have
steeped the seed and mixed it with sand previous to sowing, by which
means it vegetates immediately. I have had 60 tons per acre on 3 feet
stiches, 9 inches between the plants, and have kept the roots good
till the middle of May. I have given the seed to many of my cottagers,
who have grown the roots for their pigs, and they have found them to
answer well.

I am, &c.
J. C. CURWEN.

_Barrowby, Lincolnshire,
December 15, 1814._

SIR,

For the last four winters I have constantly fed my milch cows
with Beet, but I never exceeded, I believe, a bushel per day to each;
not from any apprehension of ill effects when given in larger
quantities. My object was, to make it last the longer, as the milk and
cream were evidently much improved thereby. The cows always had plenty
of hay with the Beet, and when the weather, or rather the state of the
land would admit, they were turned into a grass field adjoining my
farm yard.

Mr. Turney, of Sedgbrook, who has finished off some bullocks this
Autumn, whilst at grass, with Beet, has given it with great good
effect to his milch cows for the last two winters, and he is at this
time keeping a new-calved heifer upon it.

I may add, that I have always found the milk to be increased in
quantity, as well as improved in quality, whilst the Beet was used.

As to the weight of my crop, this year, it is much less than usual. My
land, you know, is old garden ground, and produced a crop of Beet last
year, Swedes the year before, and carrots in 1811. A tenacious loam,
on clay, difficult to work in the Spring. On this I got only 7 cwt. 2
qrs. on 6 yards by 10, which is after the rate of 30 tons per acre.

I am, &c.
JONATHAN KENDAL.

_Stag Brewhouse,
December 18, 1814._

SIR,

Herewith you receive my report of a small piece of land,
planted with Mangel Wurzel by Colonel Elliott. I have been as correct
as possible, and have to observe, that I think the culture of it well
worth the attention of every farmer.

The latter end of April, 1814, ten poles of land were sown with Mangel
Wurzel, 20 inches distance, in drills; the plants in the row thinned
to about 15 inches. The land poor, consisting principally of brick
rubbish and road scrapings, with a slight coat of _rotten dung_
previous to the sowing. It had two hoeings after the plants were
thinned. The plants in two of the rows, about the centre of the piece,
were set out 2 feet apart, but these were not larger than where they
were at 15 inches.

On the 8th of November the whole crop was taken up, and, after cutting
off the heads, were packed up in a loft. To prevent any incorrectness
in calculating the weight by the number of the roots, the whole crop
was weighed, which amounted to 3 tons, 1 cwt. 56 pounds, which is
according to the rate of 49 tons 4 cwt. per acre. A large portion of
the roots weighed from 7 lbs. to 12 lbs. each. When the rows were
first thinned, some other pieces were planted with the spare plants,
but these did not succeed so well: they were much less than the
others.

Hogs are remarkably fond of this root, and thrive very fast with it:
cows are also very eager after both leaves and root. Colonel Elliott
began feeding his cows with the Mangel Wurzel in July; the weather
being very dry, we were very short of grass. We began with the leaves,
and soon after with the roots of two pieces, which were transplanted.
The cows looked well and increased in their milk, and were partially
fed with the roots till the crop was taken up. The roots were then
sliced, and as much of them given to the cows (with a little hay) as
they could eat; the milk increased immediately, and the cows improved
in flesh.

My opinion is, that the Mangel Wurzel is a most valuable article of
food to the farmer; because, in a severe winter, when turnips are in
general destroyed, these roots, properly stacked in a dry place, and
covered so as to prevent severe frosts from injuring them, will be a
certain supply of nutricious and fattening food, (if cultivated in
sufficient quantity) until the spring grass is fit to turn in upon. I
should conceive, if the seed is put into the ground in the month of
May, after the manner practised in drilling turnips on ridges, that no
doubt can be entertained of obtaining a full crop. As Mangel Wurzel
exceeds all other winter food, from being preserved under cover
without injuring the quality, so it will prevent a recurrence to the
expensive food of oil cake or corn.

I am, &c.
G. T. BOULT.

_Kentish Town,
December 29, 1814._

SIR,

Having presented one of your books to Mr. Richard Laycock, a
considerable farmer and cowkeeper at Holloway, with a request that he
would cultivate the root, he did me the favour to make choice of a
piece of land, containing 1 rood and 20 perches, which had been part
of a field, composed of brick earth or strong clay, in the procurement
of which, the field had for several years past been dug over to a
great depth below the original surface. On this piece he caused a
quantity of soil and rotten dung intermixed therewith to be laid, and
the ground levelled, about 10 or 12 inches deep. In the month of May
he commenced dibbling the seed in rows 2 feet asunder, and 1 foot
apart in the rows; but, for want of time, only about one third part of
the crop was got in by this mode. The remainder was transplanted in
the middle of June. The whole of the land was kept perfectly clean,
and, while confined to the upper soil, the plants made rapid progress.
Had the subsoil been of a yielding nature, the crop would have been
extraordinary; but it was observable, although the tap roots were
particularly vigorous, that so soon as they had penetrated to the
unbroken clay, they invariably divided and turned off in a horizontal
direction, and afterwards threw out fibrous shoots without number. The
seed was procured from a nurseryman at Fulham, and was particularly
good. Very few of the plants ran up to seed; those that did so, were
not suffered to remain, but were taken up and given to the cows, as
were also the lower leaves, which were repeatedly stripped off in
considerable quantities. In the middle of November the whole crop was
drawn off and weighed, after being cleared of the tops and loose dirt.
The produce was 15 tons and a few pounds over, average weight of the
roots, 5¾ pounds. Correspondent produce 40 tons per acre.

Although this experiment on Mr. Laycock’s land falls short of those
stated in your Treatise, yet, when the extreme unfavourableness of its
situation is considered, that of an exhausted brickfield, the
deficiency is easily accounted for. Indeed I cannot help thinking its
result such, as to hold out considerable temptation to occupiers of
strong clay farms, whereon turnips cannot successfully be cultivated,
to make trial of a root, which, with previous winter plowing, promises
more profit than can be obtained from any other crop that I know
of[1]. The increase of live stock and radical improvements of such
farms must necessarily follow.

I am, &c.
PETER POTTER.

Footnote 1:

This description of soil in some seasons is too wet to warrant the
removal of a crop of Mangel Wurzel in November. When grown on such
soils to be used early in the winter, the crop may be taken up in
October; if intended for use in the cold spring months it may remain,
with perfect safety, till the ground is sufficiently dry to prevent
harm being done by the wheels of carts and the trampling of
horses.—EDITOR.

_Lincroft House, Lichfield.
December 13, 1814._

SIR,

I have for your information weighed and taken a pretty
accurate account of my small crop of Mangel Wurzel, which I have
lately gathered out of a garden belonging to my farm. The length of
the garden is 62 yards; and the breadth of the part sown 12 yards, and
the produce, according to my firm belief and best calculation, is 4
tons, 6 cwt. 40 pounds, and I am well convinced in my own mind, that
had I properly attended to the culture of this root, I might have
obtained a much greater produce, even in that space of ground; for,
you will observe, I have not strictly adhered to the plan laid down in
your little publication. In the first instance, the ground was very
foul at the time of sowing, and the plants, when growing, were about
18 inches apart one way, and nearly one yard the other; there being
only 13 rows in the space of 12 yards, and the garden too surrounded
with trees, so that I consider every thing was unfavourable. I further
beg leave to state as my opinion, that as the ground is very strong,
it is not well adapted to the growth of Beet, and as most of the roots
were transplanted, they had not a fair chance.

Transplanted roots are seldom so good as those which have not been
removed. I have given Beet Root, for two years past, both to feeding
and milch cows with good effect.

I am &c.
J. PADMORE.

_Wheston, Tideswell,
December 16, 1814._

SIR,

My Beet Root this year was sown upon light dry limestone land,
of good quality, perfectly clean, but in a high situation and cold
climate. The seed was partly sown in beds a yard and a half in width,
partly drilled, and partly dibbled in ridges at the distance of 28
inches, and the plants left 12 inches apart after hoeing. The rows
drilled came up much the best, and continued altogether the finest
plants. They were thinned and hoed early. The dibbled seed missed in a
great number of places[2]; the vacancies were supplied from the
drilled rows, transplanted at different ages, and at different times
of the year, (as the season suited for the purpose,) but none of them
grew in size or luxuriance[2] equal to those left standing in the
drilled rows. In the beds the plants were extremely numerous, but they
had not the same advantages of being thinned and hoed so early as the
drilled rows, and they were in general small in size.

Footnote 2:

Probably planted too deep.—EDITOR.

I had a most productive supply of green food to the fold yard, during
the months of September and October, from the tops, and during the
latter month many of the plants which had run to seed, were also taken
up and consumed in the same way. They were given to milch cows morning
and evening, during milking time, and to store pigs in the fold yard.

The produce on 6 yards by 10 was 206 roots in number, and 477 pounds
in weight, to which may be added about one-tenth more for plants
consumed before the crop was taken up.

I think the Beet Root affords a very material increase to the stock of
green food, of the best quality in the Autumn. months, and, when grown
near enough to the farm yard to be taken daily as wanted, without too
great an expence in labour and carriage, that mode of consuming the
leaves and some of the roots may be resorted to with great advantage,
and it may be found a resource of no small use in dry seasons.

Cattle in general eat both the root and top with eagerness. Pigs
prefer them to any other vegetable food. I have occasionally given the
roots in winter to horses, and particularly to brood mares and to
foals, with hay, and they have invariably done well.

I am, &c.
JOHN SHAW.

These and many other letters have been received by the author from gentlemen residing in different parts of the kingdom, recommending, from their own experience and success, the culture of the improved Beet Root, to those farmers who have yet to learn its value. In so doing, they are not actuated by any sordid motive or selfish principle. To do good to others is their aim, and to promote the public welfare the utmost of their ambition.

FINIS.

_J. Swan, Printer, 76, Fleet Street, London._

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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

● Typographical errors fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. ● Used numbers for footnotes. ● Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.