250 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



[No. 4 



dows, and luxuriant intervale soils. Thus are 

 formed many of those botlom lands, which occur 

 alontr the river-courses of the western states, and 

 tlie baniis of rivers in Maine, under similar cir- 

 cumstances, are found to be composed of like 

 eoiis. 



A river, coursintr its way amid various rocks, 

 carries down and deposits fine particles of every 

 kind, which it meets with in its way. 



If the rocks above are limestone, we shall have 

 calcareous soil brought down and deposited by the 

 river. So on the banks of the Aroostook, we find 

 a rich alluvial soil, equalling in fertility the filmed 

 regions of the western states, and capable, even 

 under a less genial clime, of producing crops of 

 wheat and other grain, fully equal in abundance 

 with any soils of which we have any records. 



From tlie Genesee Farmer. 

 ROOTS VERSUS HAY. 



We take the Ibllovving from a report made to 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural Society, by the 

 Messrs. Colts of Pitsfield, Berkshire Co., and we 

 do it to show the immense advantage made in 

 substituting roots for hay in feeding ca'ttle, as well 

 as in the quantity of ground necessary to produce 

 a given quantity of food. 



The writer says—" My stock now consists of 

 1000 sheep, 8 young oxen, 6 cows, a pair of horses. 

 and a single horse. I have raised this season for 

 the use of my stock 5544 bushels of vegetables, 

 and all to be grated and fed out with cut straw' 

 the cattle constantly, the sheep one feed a day' 

 which seems to be a necessary food in our lona 

 cold winters: it keeps them in health and also in 

 flesh. As to the respective value of the veo-etable 

 food, the following statement will perhaps best ex- 

 hibit It. I have commenced feeding and shall 

 continue to feed, — " 



14 head of horned cattle with 20 lbs. of cut straw 

 each per day, 4 cents for each 20 lbs.. 56 cents 

 Also to each, 113 lbs. of roots grated, mixed with 

 straw, 3 cents, 42 cents. And now allow 150 

 days for the season of feeding at 98 cents is 

 .S 147,00. The same stock would require 20 Ib^ 

 of hay each per day for 150 days; they ^vould 

 consume 42 000 1^^ ^^^^1 ,^ g] ,ons ; at the mode- 

 rate price of 810 per ton 8210,00. Balance in fa- 

 vor of root feed 863, and I am sure the stock will 

 appear far better at the opening of the sprinrr 



You will perceive that the respective value of 

 vegetables for food is six cents a bushel, while hav 

 IS at ten, and straw at four. It may be said that 

 there is some cost in preparing food ; but this is 

 more than compensated if properly done bv the 

 extra quantities of manure made." 



Thus it appears that 20 lbs. of straw and 8 lbs 

 of roots mixed, afford more nutriment and of 

 course are more valuable than 20 lbs. of Jood hav 

 whde the actual cost is much less. Fourteen or 

 fifteen tons of roofs are a moderate crop per acre 

 while the average of hay will fall considerably 

 below two tons to the acre. The advantao-e in 

 favor of the turnip is thus perfectly apparent^and 

 the farmer who persists in mowing his twentv or 

 forty acres, and keeping his stock on hay, when 

 five or eix of these same acres would furnish 



roots sufficient if mixed with the straw which 

 might be grown on the remainder, to keep his ani- 

 mals far better than the hay, and leave the jrrain 

 crop nearly as a clear profit, is clearly acting 

 against his true interesls. Ajrain, we say to our 

 (iirmers, you did well last year by so extensively 

 entering upon the culture of roots; you will do 

 better this year by greatly extending their culti- 

 vation. 



From tlie Maine Farmer- 

 ACCOUNT CURRENT WITH A PIG. 



Mr. Holmes; — I write that farmers and pork 

 raisers may learn whether it is profitable to go 

 largely into the business in this state or not. I 

 have to this end opened an account current with a 

 pig, for which 1 gave on the first of October at a 

 month old, ' 81,50 



Kept it until it was 16 months old, and 

 then slaughtered it. 14 monilis of which 

 time I kept it on raw and boiled potatoes — 

 allowing it a peck a day; soon after weaning 

 it did not need that amount — but it had milk 

 or something as expensive; which results 

 in his consuminjT, in the 14 months, 105 

 bushels — at 20 cents the bushel, amounts to 21,00 



The month on its dam, and 14 months on 

 potatoes, as above, bincjs it to 15 months 

 old: the other month (for it was not slaugh- 

 tered until 16 months old,) I kept him on 

 Barley meal, at 67 cents the bushel, and it 

 eat a half peck per day — which amounts, 

 for the last month to 2,40 



Tax 30 



I charge nothing for attendance, risk, 

 &c., being more than paid in ofliil and ma- 

 nure. 



25,20 



When slaughtered, it weighed three hun- 

 dred pounds, which, at 8 cents the pound, 

 brought me 824,00 



Loss, 1,20 



But if potatoes cost only ten cents per 

 bushel, (which, in fact, is all they cost in 

 raising,) then deduct from my charges 

 against it 10,50 



"Making the profit 814,70. 

 Twelve such would give a profit of 8176,40 — a 

 pretty item — and plenty of manure. 



Some may suppose the pig was not so expen- 

 sive as I have made it — that it would not eat a 

 peck of potatoes a day, &c. &c If potatoes are 

 worth more than I have put them at, pork should 

 be too. I write, hoping to hear from others. No 

 doubt September pigs are most profitable — they 

 eat much less than earlier ones in winter; where- 

 as early pigs eat, the first summer, what the later 

 ones should have, — and on new j'ear's day, when 

 the September pias are 16 months old, there will 

 be very little difference in their size, if the late 

 ones are kept warm the first winter. Some have 

 supposed an early spring pig on the whole most 

 profitable to kill on the first of January following ; 

 respecting which, I hope some farmer will com- 

 municate his views through the Maine Farmer. 



Pen and Ink. 



