MinneEsova STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 127 
ROOTS FOR STOCK. 
P. C. Sherren’s paper on the cultivation of root-crops, was placed 
- on file for publication, without reading. It was as follows: 
- Laxe Como, Sr. Paut, Dec. 30th, 1879. 
Chas. Y. Lacy, Esq., Secretary of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. 
Dear Srr:—Having accepted your invitation to read a paper on the Culture 
of Beets and Carrots for Stock, I below state my experience in doing so. 
_ For some years in England, previous to my coming to this country I grew 
Mangel Wurtzel, which is a coarse kind of beet to feed to stock, and found them 
profitable to raise, as the yield is enormous. I have for many years here grown 
beets for market, and have always made a rule to grow an extra quantity of the 
different kinds of table beets to feed to my cows and pigs in the winter, believing 
it paid me well to do so. 
The market price of vegetables the past season having been so unremunerative 
I considered my beets and carrots would be of most value to me to use them for 
food, consequently I reserved the whole of them for that purpose. 
I raised this year over 100 bushels of the Improved Long Orange Carrots (seed 
bought of Hollister) on thirty rods of soil, which I considered well paid me to 
feed. I give each of my horses half a peck of carrots every day instead of a feed 
of oats. They eat them with a great relish, and it keeps them more healthy than 
if confined to all oats and hay. I feed carrots at noon, and oats night and morn- 
ing. I am also now feeding some tomy cows that are giving milk, and they are 
doing well on them. Carrots pay to grow for stock. 
The various kinds of table beets may be grown profitably to feed to stock, the 
yield per acre being equal, if not more, than that of carrots. 
The land intended for carrots should be heavily manured the previous year, for 
some other crop, as they will grow forked on freshly manured land. I usually 
raise my parsnips and carrots on land that potatoes have grown on the previous 
year. Freshly manured land will do for beets. 
Mangle Wurtzel and Sugar Beets are the most profitable roots to grow for 
feed., the yield of them being so enormous when the land is well manured and 
well cultivated, from 800 to 1000 beets may be grown on an acre. 
All kinds of roots should be sown in drill, and if grown in large quantities the 
rows should be wide enough apart to cultivate with a horse, to save labor, and 
must be kept clear of weeds the whole season, to ensure a good crop. 
If you think the above worth reporting at the society’s annual meeting, you 
are at liberty topresent it. Iam, sir, 
Yours respectfully, 
P. C. SHERREN. 
HART’S MINNESOTA SEEDEING. 
The report of the committee on Hart’s Seedling Strawberry 
having come to hand was read and ordered on file for publication. 
