ROOT CROPS. 167 



they possess the faculty of so combining with the acids of the 

 stomach and with the chemical constituents of hay, grain, straw, 

 etc., as to aid very materially the business of feeding. The 

 amount of English hay and Indian corn requisite to produce a 

 given amount of animal growth and fat, may be materially 

 reduced, and economically reduced too, by a judicious use of 

 turnips. It is very evident that a vast amount of hay and corn 

 meal is unassimilated, where these articles are fed lavishly, as 

 they usually are, to our stall-fed cattle. It is the use of roots, 

 especially turnips, which may prevent this, and render the 

 business of feeding, now so unprofitable here, perhaps somewhat 

 remunerative. These remarks may not be applicable to those 

 sections of the country, which are so far removed from the 

 market as to render their grass and grain crops of comparatively 

 small value. But among ourselves, where the markets are at 

 our very doors, and where these crops command a high price, 

 it is evident tliat the most skilful economy in their use is one of 

 the fundamental rules of good farming. 



We have referred particularly to the Swedish turnip, because 

 we consider it better adapted than any other root to the general 

 business of farming. The carrot and the mangel wurzel, each 

 of which is, in its way, very valuable to the farmer, require 

 most careful cultivation and soil of a very superior quality. 

 They need heavy manuring, with fertilizers properly prepared 

 and skilfully applied. They must be seeded early in the season ; 

 and if by any accident of drought, or insect, or blight, the early 

 plant is destroyed, the seasons here are not long enough to give 

 a good crop from late sowing. Not that we would undervalue 

 either of these roots. For dairy purposes the mangel is inval- 

 uable ; and careful experiments have shown that feeding it is 

 often attended with results superior to those following the use 

 of Swedes, especially in fattening full-grown cattle. Still the 

 seed germinates with difficulty, the young plants are tender, 

 and less weight is obtained per acre than from Swedes. So too 

 of the carrot ; wlien cultivated properly and selected well, there 

 is no more useful crop, and perhaps none more profitable. It 

 is needless to enlarge upon this root in Essex County, where 

 our farmers have surpassed all others in the size of their carrot 

 crop, and where feeders have already learned its value for horses, 

 cattle and sheep. 



