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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



with straw, about 6 iuches iu thickness, and then with the soil 

 du^ up immediately around to the thickness of about 8 inches, 

 leaving an opening over each fagot secured at first partially 

 from frost by a wisp of straw only. It is, however, thought 

 advisable by some cultivators to defer earthing the heaps to 

 the top for about 2 feet downwards, until a later period, and 

 all hazard of fermentation is over. When it is stored in a build- 

 ing made secure from frost for the purpose, but little fur- 

 ther care is necessary, as I have never known an instance of 

 its being injured by fermentation, provided the top of the 

 heap on remain uncovered. In my storing house I frequently 

 cart in from 400 to 500 tons in one heap of 20 feet in width. 

 The walls are formed of the earth excavated ; a roof with a 

 thick coating of thatch covers the whole, and the carts enter 

 by folding doors at one end. It may be safely packed to any 

 thickness and height, if afterwards protected only with straw. 

 For this purpose barley straw answers best, and is packed 

 round about three feet wide, and well trodden down, and after- 

 wards thatched over down to the surface. Iu pulling the roots 

 preparatory to removal it is necessary to take due precaution 

 against injury arising to them by the action of frost, a very 

 slight degree of which will, if they are exposed after being re- 

 moved from the soil, cause them to rot. That portion of the 

 root which has previously grown beneath the surface being ex- 

 tremely liable to injury when exposed above it, the better way 

 is to pull and carry them direct from the field to the store, 

 and there will be no necessity to remove the soil from the 

 roots further than it can be effected easily, as it readily parts 

 from the roots after storing, whilst by remaining upon them 

 it tends to keep them from fermentation, which however never 

 injures them if the heat is not confined in the heap by the 

 earth applied as a protection from frost. This root is pecu- 

 liarly adapted to heavy and moory laud. It will also flourish 

 upon all loamy soils, upon which Swede turnips succeed well. 

 In most cases it will produce from 18 to 22 tons per acre, but 

 with extra cultivation and management about 10 tons per acre 

 more. The quantity per acre can be easily ascertained by 

 weighing one load carried by each cart employed; and by fill- 

 ing the carts alike the quantity may be obtained. Me<sur- 

 ing a single rod, and computing the weight per acre by it, at 

 all times is a fallacious mode. Great errors are sometimes 

 made by it, as much as 25 per cent, less having been atter- 

 wariis detected by computiog by this method. A row taken 

 and weighed from two or three average portions of the field 

 would give a result sufficiently near. The weighing of a single 

 rod to ascertain the comparative tceights of different varieties 

 is, however, the best mode ; as the quantity in imperial stones 

 per rod is equivalent to the like number of tons per statute 

 acre of 160 rods. There being 160 stones in one ton, this 

 mode is exceedingly well adapted to obtain the weight of the 

 produce per acre. The weights per rod grown by myself in 

 last season were as follows : — 



cwt. lb 



Red globe strong loam, weighed 4 32 



Long red ditto 3 96 



Yellow globe. . . . ditto 3 90 



Upon tender loam the yellow globe produced 4 cwt. 4 lb., the 

 other varieties not being weighed. In every other instance of 

 weighing in previous years, the long red variety was 

 invariably the heaviest. It has also other advantages, being 

 more easily pulled and stored. The quality I consider about 

 equal. Cattle, however, will select it from the orange-coloured 

 in preference, and hares and rabbits also. Some of my land 

 at one time joined a game preserve, and I then found that 

 during the early growth the orange varieties were not much 

 bitten, but that the long red, on the contrary, were always 



very much injured. Having described the mode of pro- 

 ducing, I shall now advert to the best mode of expending 

 this root, so far as my own observation and experience en- 

 ables me, and having now used it forty years, I have no 

 hesitation in giving it the preference to every other descrip- 

 tion of root or vegetable, not only as regards the amount of 

 produce, but as to its general applicability. For fattening 

 neat stock it is superior to the turnip. For breeding sheep 

 and cows, however, I think the latter better ; but as the 

 season advances, the mangold wurtzel becomes greatly 

 superior, improving the longer it is kept in the spring, 

 whilst turnips depreciate in about equal ratio. Where 

 cattle have been accustomed to it early, they never become 

 affected by it afterwards ; but it frequently happens that 

 other neat stock and sheep, upon having their fill, at once 

 become affected. It apparently attacks the nervous system, 

 and produces stiffness of the joints, and they refuse to eat 

 it for a few days ; but all this may be obviated by feeding 

 them moderately upon it at first, increasing the quantity 

 daily, and always combining it with cut chaff or other dry 

 food. I introduced this mode on a former occasion to the 

 notice of this club, and have since found it has been 

 generally adopted. The mangold root, when first drawn, 

 contains an abundance of water, and requires dry food in 

 admixture to counteract its effects upon the bowels of the 

 animals. It can be also adjusted better as regards the 

 quantity given per day; from 56 to 112 lbs. being fully 

 sufficient. About the middle of January the second vege- 

 tation commences, and the sugar it contains becomes fixed, 

 and cannot be extracted. From that period, the fattening 

 properties become greatly augmented, and continue to in- 

 crease until the month of June. I use machines that pluck 

 it into small pieces ; these are mixed with a quantity of cut 

 chaff, composed one-third part of hay and two-thirds oat 

 or wheat straw, moistened by linseed meal, that has been 

 steeped in water forty-eight hours, at the rate of 3 lbs. to 

 each bullock. In addition, from 3 to 4 lbs. of barley or 

 bean meal are added at the time of feeding; each meal being 

 prepared twelve hours previous to using. For store stock 

 about 56 lbs (equivalent to one bushel) is given; for fat- 

 ting stock from 80 to 112 lbs. per diem. I keep a large 

 number of milking cows, which are fed upon it from August 

 to June following. Whenever the leaves can be used we 

 find an increased quantity of milk. They are invariably 

 cut up, and mixed with the roots and chaff, and are the 

 most valuable portion of the plant in its early stages. As 

 a manui'e, when ploughed in, they are also beneficial ; 

 but where much live stock is kept they can be applied 

 to a more beneficial purpose. In feeding sheep, as 

 well as cows, the roots are best when combined with 

 cabbages or turnips, but should never be given to either 

 without some degree of caution being exercised, as a sud- 

 den change of food is apt to cause considerable relaxa- 

 tion of the bowels, which can be mostly avoided by proper 

 management. For sheep before lambing and for sows in 

 farrow they cannot be recommended, and for very young 

 pigs they are also not well adapted, but are even injurious. 

 The roots produce great heat in the system, and even oxen 

 will during the most severe frosty weather be found in a 

 high state of perspiration in open yards, and young cattle 

 invariably fatten upon them far better in open yards than 

 when stalled. This may be accepted as an established fact, 

 having myself made several experiments to prove it. With 

 older cattle it is otherwise. There is one point, however, 

 quite certain, that cattle which have been longest accus- 

 tomed to mangel wurzel thrive best upon it, and for youn 



