ROOTS FOR STOCK FEEDING. 149 



cover with straw, corn-fodder, or any liglit, trasliy ma- 

 terial which may be at liand. Thus they are preserved 

 until New Year, or longer, using from one end, and 

 covering up after each removal. The Avriter has pursued 

 this plan for many years. It is true, in warm, damp 

 weather, the tops partially decay, and become somewhat 

 slimy, but the roots do not take harm, and cattle feed 

 on them, and the tops, also, with much avidity. Per- 

 haps a little salt sprinkled on each mess would be an 

 advantage. For milch cows it is recommended to give 

 salt when feeding turnips, and the better time is imme- 

 diately after milking. 



Pitting Turnips. — The main winter and spring 

 stock of roots are preserved in j^its, not mounds, as 

 made in gome localities, narrow pits, after this fashion : 

 Select a suitable spot, near the stables if practicable, but 

 surely where the drainage is good, an indispensable pre- 

 requisite ; dig a trench sixteen inches wide, and as many 

 or more inches in depth, the length as convenient or 

 necessary. In this deposit the topped roots, and cover 

 with the earth dug out of the trench, using a little more 

 in addition as winter approaches. If cold may be ex- 

 pected in severity, place over all long stable manure, or 

 anything which will impede the entry of frost without 

 creating warmth. Thus the writer has found roots of 

 all descriptions — ruta bagas, common turnips, carrots, 

 beets, parsnips — to keep well. They are accessible at all 

 times, and may be removed in larger or smaller quantity, 

 as needed or desired. Altogether, it is better than 

 mounds, which, being elevated, are exposed to frost, 

 and require care in construction. In the pits described 

 the writer annually keeps beets and carrots far into the 

 spring, indeed, he has fed working oxen with beets, to 

 their great delight, up to July 1st. 



From what has been said, it may be seen that theory 

 and practice should go hand in hand ; the writer is sim- 



