430 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



CONSUMING OF ROOT CROPS. 



My agricultural creed has never believed any benefit from 

 the drilling of graiu crops, from cutting or slicing turnips to 

 be eaten by cattle and sheep, or from cutting hay and straw into 

 chafif as provender for horses and cattle. When cut in chaff 

 and steamed, the latter articles ai'e still buy and straw, and 

 the impregnation with volatilized water merely adds moisture 

 to the culms, which may as well be applied by the corumou 

 proC'jS3 of drinking. The chewing of the food is lessened in 

 the production of saliva, that is so very necessary to the action 

 of the stomach in the process of assimilation and digestion. 

 Animals are constituted by nature to eat vegetables as they 

 grow, and even an apple whea bitten by the human mouth is 

 better in taste and fldvour than when sliced by a knife. The 

 jaws are most agreeably employed, and there is no opportunity 

 of escape of the volatile juices. The natural qualities are 

 directly applied without exposure to the air. 



The slicing of turnips for cattle and sheep was an emana- 

 tion from the Holkham school, or was much recommended 

 by the enthusiasm that prevailed there in every practical 

 adoption. Much time is required to scber dow;i sv;ch high- 

 flown theories, of which the value is never ascertained till 

 time and circumstances have cooled the enthusiasm of its vota- 

 ries into a sober sense and a sound discretion. A very con- 

 siderable experience is incurred in stemming the turnips on the 

 fields where grown, and in cutliag and placing them in troughs 

 in sliced roots, to be eaten by the sheep, of which a very 

 candid statement appeared in this paper some two or three 

 weeks ago. The sheep eat the food from troughs placed out- 

 side a fence, which is removed backwards as the heaps of roots 

 are consumed, the sheep lying and ruaraing over the consumed 

 ground. Or the animals may be folded iu lairs of two nights 

 in a regular succession on the emptied ground, and thus give the 

 land an even benefit of the dung and urine that are voided. 

 Only on dry lauds, and under beaign climates can this mode 

 be adopted, such a3 are found iu South Britain, which is 

 reckoned from a line cutting across the kingdom at York. 

 Over the North of England and the South of Scotla;.d the 

 climate is boisterous, snows lie long on the ground, and frosts 

 are permanent and severe, rendering it essential that the sheep 

 have liberty to run for bheltec to any protection of the fence 

 and its corners. The land is benefited by the trampling of 

 the animal's feet, and by the excrements voided during the 

 travels, and in eating the plot of turnips allowed in use during 

 two or three days. This mode has shown little or no inferiority 

 to 'olding, and is less iu cost. The two methods differ little, 

 and arc applied to mild climates, and moderately severe ex- 

 perience. 



On all dry turnip soils of an inferior quality, sands, chalks, 

 gravels, light loams, and earths, the whole crop of turnips is 

 required to be consumed on the ground, which is done by rnn- 

 niog a fence of nets, or flakes, or hurdles across the field, 

 with a cross-bend at which the allotted space of fresh turnips 

 is given to the sheep. These lands under benign climates are 

 folded over by the sheep as has been mentioned, and the 

 benefit is derived from the nightly lairs snd from the daily ro»m- 

 iugs of the animals. On the greater part of turnip lauds, the 

 quality allows and economy demands the rem^jval of half the 

 crop, to be couaumed by cattle in the straw yards. The roots 

 of the bulbs to which earth and lUing adhere nre cut away by 

 hand-sickle, and fall to the ground : the tops are cut off, placed 



in heaps, and curried to young cattle in the yards, or to store 

 sheep on grass or stubble ground. The half of the crop of 

 turnips left on the land are consumed by sheep folded nightly 

 on the ground, or roaming at large, as the climate may 

 allow. 



Many best lands of this description are not fitted for being 

 trampled by sheep, by reason of a poac'iy wetness of th^ 

 soil during thaws and rains. In these cases the 

 turnips are carted to an adjoining field of grass 

 or stubble, the roots cut a^ay, but not the tops, and being 

 thinly and regularly spread over the surface two days, are 

 eaten at leisure by the sheep, that wander over the field, and 

 rest at pleasure. Au equal benefit is conferred on the land 

 as if couiumed on the field of growth, only on different 

 grounds. 



The sheep delights to exercise its jaws in excavating a bulb 

 of turnips, beet, or cabl;ages, with the head sunk to the eyes in 

 the fleshy mass, by which action much saliva is engendered' 

 and the material juices are enjoyed from the fountain head. 

 One-year sheep sro assisted in breaking the bulbs by some old 

 animals being mixed in the fleck, whose teeth are strong for 

 the purpose. When the bulbs are eaten into a shell, the rem- 

 nants, if worth the labour, are picked up by haud-tool, and 

 further eaten by the sheep, and the ro ts remain in the 

 ground, the bulb being wholly consumed, and benefit the 

 laud by keeping it open ar.d dividtd by the tap-root, till the 

 land is ploughed. The small remnants of shelh, if reckoned 

 waste, are not greater than the refuse of sliced turnips found 

 in the bottoms of the troughs, and a small waste may be una- 

 voidable in either way. The animals are pleased to nibble the 

 shells, which most frequently are wholly consumed. 



There are thus avoided the priaie cost of turnip-cutters 

 and of troughs, and the labour of slicing the bulbs ; and 

 experience has shown that sheep are equally as well aud 

 as quickly fattened by the modes above described, and 

 the land is equally benefited. On very dry lands, un- 

 der benign climates, the animals are folded over the con- 

 sumed ground in lairs of two nights, aud are provided with 

 a space of fresh turnips for every two days, which they eat at 

 pleasure; on wetter soils, under more boisterous climates, the 

 animals lie in shelter, and eat the halt of the turnip crop as 

 before, not being folded ; in the third way, the turnips are 

 carted to a grass or stubble field, and eaten at pleasure, 

 the succeeding crop of oats or of roots receiving the benefit 

 of the excrements voided by the sheep, and of the trampling 

 by the hoofs. 



But roots dressed clean from tops and fibres are used un- 

 cooked for milch cows, store cattle, and fattening animals, 

 placed in troughs, and given in quantity as can be consumed 

 without waste. The tops are beneficially applied to store 

 cattle aud pigs, in the yard, and to store sheep on any pasture 

 or stubhle ground. Cabbages, preserved in store pite, piled 

 as CRiiMon balls, and denuded of the outside leaves, are excel- 

 lent food for milch cows in the spring months, and most espe- 

 cially for ewes in the early lambing. No slicing is required, 

 but allow the animals to nick the head to the eyes in a cabbage 

 bulb, and serve itself from the fountain bead. Juicy food iieing 

 essential at that season of the year, cabbages are higily valu- 

 able. Potatoc?, raw, are given to btore cattle and pigs in the 

 yards ; steamed and mixed with meals for fattening bacon 



