446 APPENDIX. 



dition of some meal, will answer all the purposes for which grain is 

 used for feeding- cattle of all sorts, from the Horse down to the Hog. 

 Even stage-horst s, which, from the severity of their labor, require 

 the most nourishing food, have been kept in England on hay and 

 steamboiled ruta-baga. 



Mr. Cobbett says, ' a Flog of a good sort may be sufficiently fated 

 with this root, when steamboiled.' Allowing, what we bciiJvc can 

 hardly be admited, that a bushel of oats contains as much nutriment 

 as three of this root; still it is evident that the usual product of one 

 acre of it will go as far in keeping Horses as four of oats. Neither 

 of these root-crops requires any considerable expenditure in seed; 

 and on this account, if on no other, they are preferable to crops of 

 the poiatoe and of the Jerusalem artichoke, which in the article of 

 seed are perhaps the most expensive of any wh tever. We, however, 

 consider crops even of these roots more profitable titan those of 

 grain, and particularly the potatoe, when judiciously cultivated in 

 climates most suitable for its growth. For the various naes of this 

 root, for culinary purposes, it stands indeed without a rival. In point 

 of profit, we would also give to the carrot, the parsnip, and the onion, 

 a preference to crops of grain; but the soils weli adapted for them 

 are more limited, and their culture is more expensive; and although 

 they should form a part of the products of the farm, we cannot re- 

 commend them as being in all instances proper for a judicious rota- 

 tion of crops. The common turnip, and the cabbage, are also enti- 

 tled to attention. The pumpkin is as nutricious as the same weight 

 of any root or vegetable whatever, and its culture as cheap ; but 

 whether its product, in weight, can be made to compete with that 

 of roots, is a matter of which we are not informed. If fifteen tons 

 to the acre could be usually obtained of this species of gourd, we 

 should be induced to pronounce the crop, in point of profit and use, 

 unrivaled as a preparative for a crop of Winter-grain. The crop 

 would be found among* those which are least expensive in seed, in 

 culture, and in gathering; none would occasion less exhaustion of 

 soil, nor require less for manure, as a little gypsum to the hills, or 

 drills, will be found to have a powerful effect on its growth ; but of 

 its more complete cultivation we shall presently speak. 



In Pennsylvania, and farther to the south, a successful mode of 

 culture has been put in practice of growing Indian corn and potatoes 

 in alternate rows or drills; and in this -way about a sixth more of pro- 

 duct, in the aggregate, is obtained from the ground, than if these two 

 sorts of crops were cultivated separately. Such is found to be the 

 fact; and the reason for it seems to be, that each crop has, in this 

 way, more space given for the extension of its roots in search of its 

 favorite food, and each has the like room above ground for deriving 

 from the air the nutriment that is most suitable. Corn, in particular, 

 it is well known, is liable to much injury, if planted too closely. 

 There is, indeed, a variety of cases where this mingling of growths 

 is found very advantageous, and whenever we shall venture to re- 

 commend the practice, it will be founded on a conviction of its utili- 

 ty. There are also some instances, even in this northern latitude, in 

 which two crops m%y be had in a season from the same ground, and 

 any case where it may be advisable shall be duly noted. 



It should further be observed, that in suggesting what may be 

 deemed the most suitable changes of crops, no reference will be had 

 to the actual state of farming among us, but merely what the state of 

 farming ought to be; and in pursuance of this course we shall, in a- 

 great measure, discard the idea, too long prevalent in this Country, 

 that we should make the most of our labor, not the most of our laud: 



