RUTA-BAGAS. 1G3 



else. They seem to have a quality that generates heat in them- 

 selves, and they require more care, I think, than carrots, or 

 perhaps any other root. 



My opinion in regard to the value of the different root crops 

 is, that carrots arc superior to ruta-hagas for the general feed- 

 ing of stock. I prefer that crop to any other root crop, not 

 only because of its superiority in value, but I think it leaves the 

 ground in better order for future crops, than almost any other 

 crop we can raise. It seems to me that it exhausts the land 

 very much less than a mangold wurzel or ruta-baga crop, and, 

 I think I may say, than any other crop. 



One word in regard to ruta-bagas. The gentleman told us 

 he sowed them the twentieth of June. I think that is the 

 secret of the rotting of his crop. Ruta-bagas sown early will 

 mature early, of course, and will very frequently get what we 

 call lousy. They get diseased, the tops turn white, and I have 

 known them frequently to rot. Ruta-bagas and turnips that are 

 sown for the early market, if they are not all harvested before 

 fall, are very apt to get into a diseased condition. The best 

 ruta-baga crop I ever raised, I think, I sowed after harvesting 

 my early potatoes, which must have been as late as the 25th of 

 July, and I think later than that. The land was in good order, 

 of course, rich, and the turnips grew rapidly, were very hand- 

 some and smooth, and a very large crop, with no labor except 

 harrowing the ground, sowing the seed, and perhaps hoeing 

 once — very little labor indeed, and a very handsome crop 

 secured. Our method of raising the English turnip invariably 

 is to sow them after gathering a crop of early potatoes ; and, by 

 the way, in our vicinity we raise very little else than early pota- 

 toes. Our object is to get our crop into the market before they 

 can come from the East, thereby securing a good price. The 

 whole crop raised in our town this year brought from three to 

 five dollars a barrel, which was a good price, and made a very 

 profitable crop. 



I believe the gentleman (Mr Stockbridge,) inquired with 

 regard to the feeding of roots — whether it is best to give them 

 steamed or raw. If I am fattening hogs, and want to give them 

 meal and grain, I cook the roots and mix the meal in, so that i: 

 is all cooked and steamed. I think for fattening hogs cooked 

 meal is better than raw. But I will state that I have kept sue- 



