A cross between a modern sugar-beet and a mange!, for the purpose of securing a mange] richer in dry matter. Thus far little progress has been made. Culture and management same as for mangel [which see].
Jerusalem artichoke. Belianthus tuberoses, Linn. Compositece.
A hardy perennial, with rough, much-branched stems, six to eight feet high, which bear large, rough, alternate leaves and large yellow flowers. It is usually propagated by means of the tubers, much in the same way as potatoes, the seeds being used for the development of new varieties.
In percentage composition Jerusalem artichoke is very much like the potato : The plant is native in North America and has been cultivated by the aborigines for centuries. Since the advent of the Europeans it has been neglected, and better varieties are now found in Europe than here. The plant may he grown profit ably wherever the potato succeeds, and, since it can withstand considerable periods of drought, it is asserted that it should find a more important place in our agriculture, especially in the north western states.
Culture.
The land should be plowed deep, well manured and well fitted. The tubers are planted either in fall or in spring, about two inches deep, eigh teen inches asunder and in rows three and one half feet apart. Six to eight bushels will plant an acre, and since frost does not injure the tubers one planting may be sufficient for two or three successive crops. The crop should be cultivated shallow, as corn or potatoes, and is harvested in the same way as potatoes; or hogs may be turned on the field to root out the tubers. The best method of handling a crop which comes from tubers left in the land over winter is to use the weeder early in spring, and as soon as the plants are well up run the cul tivator through in both directions, leaving the plants in hills.
There are several varieties of Jerusalem arti choke, some of much better flavor than others, the Improved White French being considered one of the best. Some varieties are named from the color of their skin, as Red-, Yellow-, Purple- and White skinned.
Uses.
The tubers are cooked as a vegetable, eaten raw as a salad or pickled like cucumbers. They are also used as stock-feed, principally for pigs, althougk they are of some value for horses.
Literature.
Consult the Experiment Station Record for references to the experience with Jerusalem artichokes at the various experiment stations. In
addition, see Arkansas Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 31 ; Missouri Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 29 ; Massachusetts Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 10.
Mangel. Beta vulgaris, Linn. Chenopodiacem. (Man gel-wurzel, Cattle Beet, Field Beet).
The mangel is a root crop used for stock-feeding. It may be annual, is more commonly biennial, and occasionally is triennial in duration. The part used consists of part of the stem and part of the root, both considerably thick ened, and so closely united that the exact points of union are not readily recognized. The whole is frequently re ferred to as a "root." The following names are given to the different parts (Fig. 775): The stem includes (1) the neck, which supports the leaves and flowers, and with the upper part of the hypocotyl (the shoulders, B) constitutes the crown (C). (2) The hypocotyl (H), used for the storage of food.
The root includes (1) the primary root (R) used for the storage of food and on whose surface are seen the dimples (D), in which arise fine, lateral, fibrous roots. (2) The taproot and its branching fibrous roots, which, like the lateral fibrous roots, may attain a depth of four or five feet.
The neck may be long, medium, short or absent, and since it is of less value than the remainder of the tuber, the aim is to have it as short as possible. In the case of sugar-beets the crown is removed before using them for the manufac ture of sugar. When a plant has but one shoot or neck arising from the crown, it is said to be single ; should several shoots arise, the plant is said to have multiple crowns. These are objectionable in all classes of roots, because the small shoots are developed at the expense of the food already stored in the "root." The hypocotyl varies in length in different varieties. In some it is above ground, in others, as in Kleinwanzle bener sugar-beets, it is below ground. It is an ob served fact that those plants having the hypocotyl below ground are richer in dry mat ter and therefore of higher feeding value than those hav ing a large part of the hypo cotyl above ground. The pri mary root appears as a con tinuation of the hypocotyl ; it should terminate in a sin gle small taproot. Roots with two or more taproots are said to be forked orrough accord ing to the degree of forking.