FARM CROPS. 



169 



some crop that germinates quickly to mark the rows 

 and allow of early cultivation. Buckwheat may be 

 used for this purpose, and it can be chopped out when 

 the plants are thinned. Root crops should be culti- 

 vated often enough to keep the land free from weeds 

 and prevent the loss of moisture by evaporation. 



Yields. Average soils should produce twenty to 

 forty tons of mangels per acre. The following table, 

 the work of the New Jersey Experiment Station,* 

 shows the comparative tonnage and nutrient yields of 

 mangels and corn forage : 



Containing pounds of Mangels 



Weight of green crop. . . 56,600 



Dry matter 4,684 



Crude fat 33.9 



Crude fiber 379-2 



Crude protein 684.9 



Crude ash 503.7 



Carbohydrates 3,112.6 



Corn 

 Forage 

 20,000 

 6,130 



152.2 



1,484.7 



468.9 



243.8 



3,780.2 



Mangels Corn Forage 

 increase increase 

 36,000 



216.0 

 259-9 



1,446 



118.3 

 1,105-5 



667.6 



It is shown in the above table that although mangels 

 produced almost three times as much tonnage yield 

 as the corn forage, they only produced 75 per cent, as 

 much dry matter. 



Harvesting. Root crops should be harvested be- 

 fore the heavy frosts set in. They should be dried 

 and stored in cool cellars where the temperature is 

 such that they will not freeze or become too warm. 

 Sometimes they are placed in pits in the field and cov- 

 ered with earth or other material to prevent their 

 freezing. The cellars and pits should be dry, well 

 aired, and drained. In the far South root crops may 

 be pulled from day to day as needed. 



Sugar Beet. This crop is grown quite extensively 

 for the production of sugar in this country. It does 

 best in a zone of varying width in the center of which 

 passes the isothermal line of 70 degrees Fahrenheit 



* Voorhees Forage Crops. 



