256 Root Culture, Fall Planting — Improve your Breed. Vol. IV. 



ing three acres, and fifteen acres of corn, be 

 sufficient to purchase manure enouffh to ma- 

 nure the lesser quantity of ground tiioroughly ? 



Agricola. 



PhilaiJelphia Co. March, 4tli 18-10. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Root Culture, Fall Planting, «fcc. 



Mr. Editor, — It is, I believe, not general- 

 ly known, or considered that the seed of many 

 of our most useful root crops will admit of fall 

 planting; and yet there are few fiirmers or 

 gardeners who have not had the fact fully de- 

 monstrated by the accidental falling of the 

 seeds when they had ripened, and their vege- 

 tation in the spring without the least protec- 

 tion from the severity of the winter. 



At the instance of a very observing and 

 enterprising gentleman of Philadelpliia, who 

 has done much for the introduction of a more 

 general root culture into this country, I made 

 the experiment last year upon a small quan- 

 tity of sugar beet, parsneps, and onion seed. 

 But as the ground had become frozen before 

 the suggestion was made, I had to embrace 

 the opportunity afforded by a partial tliaw in 

 December, to deposit the seed without any 

 previous preparation of the ground ; and to 

 supply the deficiency of warmth in the ground 

 from the absence of the freshly applied man- 

 ure, I gave the beds a slight covering of horse- 

 stable litter, which was raked off in the spring, 

 leaving the finer particles to be dug in as soon 

 as the plants where large enough to admit of 

 it. The result was, that I had a good crop 

 of each, under these unfavourable circum- 

 stances. 



'■ Now as the cultivation of the sugar beet 

 for stock is becoming an object of great and 

 growing interest with farmers, wherever 

 the experiment has been fairly tried, and, as 

 in many instances much depends upon early 

 planting, that the crop may bo as far advanced 

 as possible before the excessive heat of sum- 

 mer and frequent fall droughts, and as no- 

 thing that can be advantageously done in the 

 fall should be left for the hurry and bustle of 

 spring — fall planting may, in many situations, 

 be profitably adopted. 



If the ground be properly prepared by de- 

 positing the necessary quantity of manure in 

 furrows immediately beneath the seed, as has 

 been recommended in spring planting, the 

 fermentation of the manure in the spring, 

 which will have been retarded by the frost 

 of winter, would so warm tiie ground as to 

 produce vegetation before the earth would be 

 in a suitable condition for planting under or- 

 dinary circiunstances. 



Other advantages v;ould arise from the 

 fertilizing effects of the frost upon the newly 

 made ridges, and the destruction of numerous 



mischievous insects by this unnatural ex- 

 posure to the rigors of winter. j 



The crop being already in the ground I 

 would not conflict with the ordinary sprin-' 

 work, which is frequently, though erroiieou^ 

 ly urged by the advocates of the stand shil 

 aystf'in of farming, as an objection to the cul- 

 tivation of roots. I say erroneously, for the 

 culture of roots for stock need not be in crfi/i- 

 tion to the usual amount of labour done on a 

 farm, but as a substitute for a part of that la. 

 hour. P'or instance, the farmer who plants 

 his ten or twenty acres of corn, should plant 

 one, two, or three of these acres with beets, 

 or sucn other roots as his experience shall 

 teach him is best adapted to his soil and situa- 

 tion. If he plant in the spring, he has but to 

 plough his root ground in the fall, if the 

 sward be tough ; if not, as a clover clay, sprinff 

 plougliing will answer. If fall planting be 

 adopted, the same preparation will be neces- 

 sary. In either case the ploughing should be 

 as deep as the soil will admit of, and the earlb 

 be perfectly pulverized before planting. 



The beet succeeds well on any medium 

 soil ; though fresh liming had in some in- 

 stances been found prejudicial to its growtli 

 The cultivation of roots for stock on suitable 

 ground, needs but a trial to recommend itscif 

 to the favourable attention of every farmer; 

 for amongst the great amount of authentu' 

 testimony on the subject, not one item other 

 than the most favourable has been adduced. 

 It not only enables the farmer to support more 

 stock upon the same ground, or sell a larger 

 amount of surplus grain, but it contributes 

 largely to the health, comfort and growth d 

 his stock, and the consequent incrcaee of his 

 profits. The sugar beet is eaten with avidity 

 by all of our domestic animals, but to the 

 milch cow, the sheep, young cattle and hogs, 

 they are particularly advantageous. 



The fact that most animals grow and fatten 

 readily upon grass, but will remain stationary 

 or fall away upon hay, (the same article di- 

 vested of its juice,) is conclusive evidence 

 that some succulent is wanting ; that the 

 animal secretions are diminished from the 

 want of green food ; and as our climate will 

 not furnish us with a natural supply during; 

 the winter, we must supply the deficiency by 

 artificial means. A. R. M. 



Chester Co, Pa. Feb. 20, 1840. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Improve Your Breed. 



Silt. — There is a remark in a note at p. 

 140, of the 4th vol. of the Cabinet, .'stating, 

 "If Bakcwell had commenced improving his 

 breed of sheep with the best dam, he would 

 have accomplishe<l his purpose in one-half 

 the time," which has brought to my rcniem- 



