330 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



cess does not separate the inner hull or covering from the grain, consequently special treat 

 ment is required for this purpose. It may be threshed and winnowed by steam, horse, or 

 any of the powers used on a farm. At this stage the grain is called &quot;rough rice,&quot; and is 

 thus shipped to market from the plantation in cargoes, or first subjected to the milling pro 

 cess that removes the inner hull. The machinery for this purpose is too expensive to be 

 adjusted to plantations generally, hence it becomes in a great measure the business of large 

 manufactories. This hulling process cleanses the grain of the inner covering, and usually 

 separates it into three grades; the first grade or whole kernels, the second grade or broken 

 rice, and the third grade or flour of rice, or as sometimes graded, &quot;whole,&quot; &quot;middling,&quot; and 

 &quot;small rice.&quot; It is estimated that a little more than half comes out from this process in first 

 grade or prime rice, the remainder being broken or small rice, flour of rice, and chaff. With 

 good land, properly irrigated and cultivated, reliable authorities estimate the average produce 

 of this crop to be from forty to fifty bushels of clean rice per acre, and often the yield has 

 far exceeded this estimate. With suitable conditions, rice is one of the most profitable crops 

 that can be cultivated. 



ROOTS AND ESCULENT TUBERS. 



EOOT crops, which form so large a proportion of the agricultural products of the 

 English farmer, have not received that attention in this country, generally, that 

 their real value would seem to warrant, but are gradually gaining favor, being cul 

 tivated more extensively at present as food for stock than formerly. There are reasons why 

 the English farmer cultivates roots so extensively, aside from the real value of the crops. 

 The climate of the country is especially adapted to the cultivation of roots, while it is not 

 adapted to the successful cultivation of corn. On the contrary, the climate of the United 

 States is not as well adapted as that of England to the cultivation of roots, while it is most 

 admirably adapted to that of corn. Yet, notwithstanding these considerations, there are 

 many reasons why the farmers of our country should devote more attention to the cultivation 

 of roots than has formerly been the custom. 



Various experiments have proved the fact that, although roots are not desirable as an 

 exclusive or principal article of food for animals, yet when used in connection with grain, 

 meal, hay, or other substances, animals will thrive better, fatten more readily, and keep in a 

 more healthy condition than when roots are entirely discarded from their food. It is also a 

 fact, well known to all dairymen, that more milk of a better quality can be obtained from 

 cows fed with a liberal supply of roots during the winter, than when hay, meal, and bran 

 only are used, and that butter made from such milk will not only be of better flavor and 

 color, but more in quantity. Stock should have some kind of green food during the long 

 winters, and roots are admirably adapted to this purpose, taking the place of grass in a 

 measure, where ensilage is not used on the farm. Roots are easily cultivated, and large 

 quantities can be grown on comparatively small areas of land. In England, turnips form the 

 most important root crop in cultivation, being used for feeding stock, and also as a clearing 

 and fallow crop in the regular rotation for the soil. 



Potatoes are the most important root crop in the United States. Green manure should 

 never be applied to any kind of root crop, as it not only injures the quality, but will cause 

 potatoes to grow irregular and deep-eyed, turnips, beets, parsnips, etc., to have forked and ill- 

 shaped roots, and onions to be coarse in texture and thick-necked. 



Indian corn is a good crop to precede any root crop, and by heavily manuring the land for 

 it, and supplying a good dressing of composted manure to the land the fall previous to culti 

 vating the roots, or commercial fertilizers well harrowed in about the time of sowing the 

 latter, good results will generally be secured. 



