SUCCULENT AND BULKY FEEDS 



239 



ably as a result, in part at least, of the numerous experi- 

 ments made primarily with a view to encouraging the es- 

 tablishment of sugar factories, in connection with nearly 

 all of which some beets were fed to hogs or other stock. 

 The mangel-wurzel, rutabaga, turnip and carrot are also 

 used. 



Kxperiments have been conducted to register the value 

 of roots as aids to the digestion and assimilation of food 

 as well as to discover the nutrients they supply. The tend- 

 ency has been to give the greatest credit to their value 

 as accessories, although in discussing root crops in "Feeds 

 and Feeding" Prof. Henry says, "the digestible nutrients 

 yielded by each crop are the true measure of its value 

 to the farmer." Taking yields reported at the Ontario 

 agricultural college (Report of 1896) from tests cover- 

 ing five or six years. Prof. Henry has reduced root crops 

 to an estimated yield of digestible nutrients as shown in 

 the following: 



ESTIMATED YIELD OF DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS PER ACRE IN 

 ROOT CROPS 



The mangel contains less dry matter than other roots, 

 but is in favor because of its heavy yield and its less cost 

 of harvesting, which is generally estimated to be about 

 half that of sugar beets. Comparative experiments were 



