ROOT CROPS 287 



cereal grains when fed in such a way as to eliminate the influ- 

 ence of succulence. The high character of English mutton is 

 due to root crops, turnips being largely used. The value of root 

 crops to the American farmer is not as a food to take the place 

 of silage and other roughage, but as a partial substitute for 

 cereal grains and other concentrated foods. 



It is not considered advisable to feed mangel-wurzels to live 

 stock until after Christmas, as they appear to contain some sub- 

 stances, perhaps nitrates and oxalates, which are laxative, but 

 which characteristic disappears after roots are stored for some 

 time. Before feeding, mangel-wurzels or sugar beets should be 

 pulped, sliced, or cut into finger pieces. This is frequently done 

 twelve hours before required and mixed with low grade hay or 

 straw, thereby adding to the palatability of the latter. 



361. Production of Seed. The beet being a biennial, it is 

 necessary, in order to secure seed, to select individual plants of 

 the desired characters and quality, and store these roots in 

 sand in a pit or cellar. The following spring they are planted in 

 the field and soon throw up their seed stalk and produce seed. 

 A single mangel-wurzel may produce 0.4 pound of seed, 

 hence to secure eight pounds, or the maximum quantity 

 required to sow an acre, 20 roots would be necessary. No 

 method of selecting plants of mangel-wurzels has been practised 

 other than that of external appearance, although selection of 

 roots having a known percentage of dry matter could be done 

 as easily as selection of "mothers" in the case of the sugar beet. 



The sugar beet is one of the most striking examples of im- 

 provement of composition by selection that has yet been accom- 

 plished. The selection of mothers for high content of sugar 

 was first attempted in 1850 by specific gravity of the roots, 

 assuming that roots of high specific gravity would have the 

 highest percentage of sugar. This was followed by selection 

 on the basis of the specific gravity of the juice. In 1867 the 

 polariscope was suggested and has been used ever since. Prior 



