194 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



I took my choice, I should follow the potatoes with corn rather 

 than the turnips. 



The comparative value of the crops you can raise upon an 

 acre of ground, properly prepared for mangolds, is hardly the 

 question. Nor is it the question, whether 1,500 bushels of man- 

 golds would not he better than one hundred bushels of corn, 

 because you would not be likely, on such land, to get anything 

 like one hundred bushels of corn ; it has not the depth to it. 

 But 1,500 bushels of mangolds are worth more to any man for 

 his cattle and sheep than any hundred bushels of corn that ever 

 grew in Massachusetts ; there is no doubt about that at all. 



There is a difference in the value of these roots for stores. 

 Turnips for growing cattle ; they are as natural to them as oats 

 to a growing horse, after he gets to be four or five years old. 

 A bushel of turnips for fifty sheep — there is no better food in 

 the world. I have tried it over and over again. I would rather 

 have it than have a pint of corn for each sheep. You can easily 

 figure which would cost the most. 



I have no time to go into this matter at length,, and it has 

 already been discussed so intelligently, that it is not worth 

 while, although men differ somewhat in their views. These are 

 my general views, and the result of my experience. 



Now in regard to fertilizers. Do not let us condemn the 

 fertilizers themselves, because we condemn the manufacturers 

 of them. It would not do for the Board of Agriculture of 

 Massachusetts, or any other agricultural body, to undertake to 

 declare against artificial fertilizers. That would not stand the 

 test. While we condemn the manufacturers, I repeat, do not 

 let us condemn the manures. The best of them will stand the 

 test. Bones — how shall we get them into the best form ? I 

 doubt about grinding them as fine as meal. They want some 

 solvent, and then they will be decomposed by the gases of the 

 soil, and be made available. Mr. Coleman said of agricultural 

 chemistry, that it had clone one thing, and but one thing, and 

 that was, it had dissolved bones in sulphuric acid. Bones are 

 the fountain of a great deal of fertilizing material. Put them 

 in properly, and they will be of great value. Crushed bones I 

 like well ; bones dissolved in sulphuric acid better. 



One word about ploughing in manure in the fall. I would 

 never attempt it. I have ploughed in manure in the foil, and 



