318 [Senate 



Mr. J. F. Osborn the third premium of one Vol. Transactions. 



Rut a Bagas. 



Mr. John G. Smedberg, of Prattsville^ raised on two acres and 

 twenty rods 1965 bushels of ruta bagas, averaging 925 bushels to the 

 acre, at an expense of $74.75, which is about $32 per acre. In ma- 

 king the charges against this crop, we think Mr, Smedberg approaches 

 nearer the actual cost of cultivation, than any other applicant for root 

 crops. He allows $2 per day for a man and team, and 50 cents per 

 load for manure, and interest on the value of the land, &c., while in 

 some of the estimates we find one dollar per day only charged for a 

 man and team, and only fifty cents per day for a man, and twenty-five 

 cents per load for manure on the ground, and nothing for interest. 

 We consider this yield rather extraordinary for the season, which has 

 been unfavorable to this crop, and we award to 



Mr. J. G. Smedberg the first premium of $10. 



Charles B. Meek, of Canandagua, raised 567 bushels of Ruta Ba- 

 gas to the acre, at an expense of $19. This, in ordinary seasons and 

 under ordinary circumstances, could not be considered more than a 

 fair crop,, The beetle or turnip-fly was very destructive to this tribe of 

 plants, and his crop, Mr. Meek says, suffered much by their depreda- 

 tions. We award 



Mr. C. B. Meek the third premium of one Vol. Transactions. 



The Ruta Baga, we consider among the most valuable of roots : 

 much expense, however, is necessary to ensure a good crop of this 

 root, though much less labor is requisite in the cultivation than car- 

 rots. 



The expense of raising and harvesting a crop of ruta bagas is stated 

 to be about 3^ cents per bushel. They can be obtained, on suitable 

 soil, after a crop of clover has been taken from the land. Hence may 

 the farmer learn how to relieve his anxiety when his crops of hay are 

 like to fail, or his expectations not realized. By a little extra labor 

 applied in proper season, an abundant supply of vegetables may be ob- 

 tained for the consumption of his cattle and sheep. 



Land yielding about 30 bushels of corn to the acre, will, under the 

 same manuring and cultivation, not be likely to yield more than 150 

 bushels of potatoes to the acre, or one ton of good hay. These, we 

 admit, are small returns, much smaller than any farmer should be sat- 

 isfied with. With the same manure and cultivation, five or six hun- 

 dred bushels of ruta bagas may be raised on the acre, and when well 

 husbanded, and well applied, we deem them to be fully equal to two 

 tons of hay, and no crop returns more manure to the soil when fed to 

 stock, and they are at the same time no greater exhausters of the soil 

 than potatoes. We are satisfied that even at a yield of 500 bushels to 

 the acre, ruta bagas is one of the best crops that a stock breeder can 

 raise in proportion to the expense of cultivation. But then 500 bu- 



