186 Dairy Manarjement. 



with a like result. Before I resorted to this I observed a com- 

 parative slowness of growth of the root crop after the application 

 of the fresh excrement, which I do not now perceive. 



My mangel and turnip crops average, from actual weighings, 

 about 25 tons to the acre, that of mangel being somewhat the 

 heavier. 



The estimate of the value of either of these crops is usually 

 made on what it leaves for profit, and reckoned at 8s. to 10s. per 

 ton. This is a very unsafe rule : if taken on its quantum of 

 nutritive m.atter, it assumes a different value ; as dry material, 

 you cannot obtain any concentrated food equally nutritive at less 

 than 11. to 8/. per ton, which would give 16s. to 20s. per ton as 

 their value in the natural state. 



The great proportion of water contained in these roots would 

 however prove a serious drawback to their extended cultivation 

 for sale at a distance. You can convey in hay six times, and in 

 oil-cake or beans twelve times, the quantity of nutritive matter 

 contained in turnips. A consideration of this has often reminded 

 me of the great additional labour incurred by those who give 

 turnips wliolly as food to the amount of 170 lbs. to 180 lbs. per 

 day. A feeder who maintains 100 head of cattle will be conveying 

 at the rate of 23 to 25 tons weekly of superfluous water from his 

 field, of which the effect will be to increase the bulk of his 

 manure without adding to its value. Some small advantage is 

 derived from the watery property of the turnip, particularly when 

 stored, in consequence of its supplying beverage in a less chilling 

 state than by cold water alone, from drinking freely of which in 

 severe weather I have seen cattle seriously chilled. 



My crop in succession to mangel or turnips is that of beans, 

 which I prize highly for my purpose, affording as it does a large 

 amount of the nitrogenous element. I have hitherto cultivated 

 the common kinds of field-beans. On the recommendation of 

 an acquaintance, who stated that 1 might reckon on a much larger 

 produce from the long-pod or garden-bean, in 1856 I set out 

 amongst a crop of field-beans an interval of 1670 yards for trial of 

 the sword variety of long-pod beans. The produce was carefully 

 weighed and found to be of — 



Field beans, white blossom, 52 bus., of G31bs., at 5s £13 



Straw, fully 2 tons per acre 400 



£17 



Long pods, on 1670 yds. 1435 lbs. = Cfi Ihis. of G31bs. per acre £10 10 

 Straw, If tons per acre 3 10 



£20 

 The garden or long-pod beans having ripened a fortnight 



