FERTILIZER AND SEEDING EXPERIMENTS WITH ROOT 



CROPS 



SUMMARY 



In these experiments commercial seed gave as good results as home 

 grown seed. 



Seeding with a hand drill gave a better stand and consequently a 

 larger yield than did seeding with a grain drill. 



The largest yield of mangels resulted from the use of 12 pounds of 

 seed per acre. Of rutabaga seed. 2 pounds per acre gave the best results. 



The results of both years of the fertilizer experiment indicate that 

 lime is not beneficial to mangels when grown on the clay loam soil of 

 the University farm. The largest yields followed the use of a fertilizer 

 containing the three elements, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, 

 while the greatest financial net gain resulted from the use of nitrogen 

 and phosphorus combined. 



The relative efficiency of the carriers of nitrogen, phosphorus and 

 potassium used singly was in the following order: (i) acid phosphate, 

 (2) nitrate of soda, (3) muriate of potash. 



The percentage production of foliage was influenced by the kind of 

 fertilizer ingredient applied. The highest percentage was produced 

 by nitrate of soda, followed by muriate of potash and acid phosphate 

 in the order named. 



Of the two carriers of nitrogen tested, nitrate of soda seems to be 

 more efficient than dried blood. 



THE PLACE OF ROOT CROPS 



Under the present agricultural conditions in this country, the grow- 

 ing of root crops cannot assume nearly so much importance as the pro- 

 duction of Indian corn, grasses or legumes. The necessity for hand 

 labor and the relatively greater cost per unit of dry matter involved 

 in growing roots are obstacles which effectually prevent their general 

 cultivation in New York State. Under certain conditions, however, 

 the best varieties of mangels, rutabagas and carrots are grown to some 

 advantage for feeding domestic animals. 



Root crops turnish succulence, a very desirable quality in feeds when 

 the remainder of the ration consists of dried forage and concentrates, 

 and at the same time contain dry matter in a form which is easily digested. 

 There is some evidence that mangels, when fed to dairy cows, can take 



