Mangelwurzel

Definition and stakes

Anthony Florian Madinger Willich,  Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)

“ The stalk of the latter grows to the height of seven or eight feet; and the root weighs from eight to twelve pounds. This variety of the root of scarcity is the true Mangel-wurzel, which some years since excited much attention in Britain; though there is reason to suppose that other species of the beet have been frequently mistaken for the Beta albissima; the root of which is white, juicy, and streaked with red fibres: it is sown like cabbage, and to prevent injury to the fibres of the root, the young plants must not be pulled, but dug up with a spade ”
Source: Wikisource

Various,  Notes and Queries, Number 191, June 25…

“ There (p. 204.) your correspondent will find, by authority of "a German," that mangold is field-beet or leaf-beet: and that mangel is a corruption or pretended emendation of the common German appellation, and most probably of English coinage. Such a thing as mangel-wurzel is not known on the Continent; and the best authorities now, in this country, all use mangold-wurzel.
M.
P.S.—Since writing the above, I have seen Mr. Frere's note on the same subject (Vol. vii, p. 463.) . The substitution of mangel for the original mangold, was probably an attempt to correct some vulgar error in orthography
”
Source: Gutenberg

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