172 



QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 



Liime. 



Ruta Baga. 



Turnips 

 or Beets. 



Varieties 

 of Turnips. 



Roots 

 for Cows. 



Sugar Beets. 



958. Q. Is lime found ia plants, and what benefit is it to plants ? 



A. It is found in the straw of grain and more largely in straw of clover 

 and beans. The two last are very obviously benefited by the application 

 of lime. Dr. Gilbert thinks it is connected with the accumulative or veg- 

 etative processes of plants rather than with their maturing processes or 

 condition, as a largely increased accumulation of lime is coincident with 

 an increased bean and clover crop. Lime is therefore of much importance 

 to all crops, but especially to the leguminous. Many soils,- however, 

 possess enough natural lime without any artificial application. 



959. Q. Why is the ruta baga considered a better feeding root than 

 White or Yellow Globe turnip ? 



A. Ruta baga turnips or Swedes do not develop such a mass of leaf as 

 do White Globe turnips, though the Swedes give the greater weight of 

 roots, by far the larger part of the accumulation of vegetable matter being 

 in the roots. The measure of the value of roots is not in the weight of 

 water but in the weight of dry substance, and in Swedes the dry sub- 

 stance surpasses the proportion in Globe turnips, consequently the 

 Swede is the best feeding root. The Swede is not cultivated as largely 

 as it should be because it requires earlier sowing than round turnips, and 

 as at the proper season for drilling Swedes suitable land is not always 

 available under American systems of rotation, or under the no system so 

 common. Globe turnips planted later are more easily located on the farm, 

 as they may follow a grain crop, while Swedes have to be sown before 

 the grain is harvested. In any case it is not desirable to have roots too 

 ripe, as they will not keep so well through Winter and into Spring. 



960. Q. What are the strongest rooting plants, turnips or beets? 



A. The Sugar beet is a stronger rooter than the mangel, and both are 

 stronger than the turnip. The Sugar beet, a strong feeder, has widely 

 reaching and deeply penetrating roots, and absorbs freely, and lays up a 

 large amount of sugar, sometimes one-fifth part of its crude weight. 



961. Q. Do White Globe turnips and Swedes require different soils ? 

 A. They do not absolutely require distinct soils, but upon light soi'is, 



which do not produce much leaf matter, Swedes will do well where 

 Large White Globe turnips would fail, and on heavy land where Large 

 White Globe turnips will flourish, sometimes Swedes will be disappointing. 

 A too generous nitrogenous manuring for turnips of any kind induces a 

 disposition to make leaf, sometimes to the disadvantage of the root pro- 

 duct. Leafy roots are slow to ripen, but sometimes this is an advantage 

 as roots too ripe do not keep well during Winter, 



962. Q. Are roots a desirable food to give milking cows ? 



A. Yes ; they are like grass, they increase the quantity of the milk ; 

 mangels to a greater extent than turnips, and Sugar beets more than 

 mangels. Mangels are better in this respect than silage. Milking cows 

 require more and richer food than animals being fattened for market. 



963. Q. Can I rely upon a crop of Sugar beets as a regular and con- 

 tinuous cattle food ? 



