Root-Crops for Stock-Feeding. 



91 



Roots vs. cereals. 



The present high price of cereals is a factor in favor of the produc- 

 tion of root-crops. If corn-meal continues to be worth $20 a ton or 

 more in New York State, economy in the production of roots would be 

 indicated, while if the price should fall to $10 a ton, corn-meal would 

 probably be the cheaper source of concentrates. The serious handicap 

 to the raising of root-crops is the fact that with present cultural methods 

 a large amount of hand labor is required. The point of view that is 

 desired here to emphasize is that while roots may not be economically 

 raised as a substitute for silage or other coarse fodders, it may be eco- 

 nomical to raise them in New York State as a partial substitute for con- 

 centrates, particularly the cereal grains. 



THE EXPERIMENT OF 1904. 



Part of the land selected had been in mangels for three years, and 

 is designated " no rotation area " ; the remainder had been in other crops 



and in 1903 was in 

 corn. It is designated 

 the " rotation area." 

 The land is slightly 

 rolling and the soil is 

 Dunkirk gravelly 

 loam. 



In most cases 

 twenty-one rows of a 

 particular type of root 

 were grown in a sec- 

 tion. These were di- 

 vided into seven plats 

 of three rows each. A 

 variety occupied three 

 rows or one plat. A 

 seven-plat section per- 

 mits the trial of five 

 varieties : one variety 

 being sown on the 

 first, fourth and sev- 

 enth plats as a check, 

 and four other varie- 

 ties being sown on the 

 second, third, fifth 

 and sixth plats. The 



Fig. 20. — Carter Red Etnperor mangel. Ovoid in shape. 

 ""^ Up per row early sown; lower row late sown. The 

 yield of fresh substance and dry matter is rather low 

 , ' *but they are better adapted, perhaps, to the shallow 

 ' \soils than the long kind. , 



