56 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



pounds of these roots and eight pounds of English hay a day, 

 given at two feedings, half at each time, will make a cow give 

 as much milk as in the flow of summer feed. 



An experiment of great value to root growers, was made 

 some years ago, shoAving the comparative feeding properties of 

 mangel wurtzel and Swedish turnips, which may be intro- 

 duced with propriety here. The experiment was made by 

 Lord Spenser. He took two steers, weighing 668 pounds 

 each, and of the same age, wanting some six weeks. On the 

 24th of December he put No. 1 to Swedish turnips, and No. 2 

 to mangel wurtzel. On the 23d of January following. No. 1 

 had consumed 1624 pounds of the turnip, and had increased in 

 weight thirty-five pounds, or, at the rate of forty-eight and a 

 quarter pounds for every ton. No. 2 had consumed 1848 

 pounds of wurtzel, and had increased fifty-three pounds, or, at 

 the rate of sixty-five and a half pounds for every ton. The 

 trial was now varied. No. 1 was put to mangel wurtzel, and 

 No. 2 to Swedish turnips. On the 20th of February, No. 1 

 had consumed 1884 pounds of wurtzel, and gained this month 

 thirty-one pounds, or, at the rate of thirty-six and three-quarter 

 pounds for a ton. No. 2 consumed 1880 pounds of the turnip, 

 and gained thirteen pounds, or, at the rate of fifteen and a half 

 pounds for every ton. Further experiments were made upon 

 the same animals. It seems thus far clear, that the balance 

 was in favor of mangel wurtzel, and no trial made disproved 

 the fact. 



Sugar Beet. — It has been stated in the newspapers recently, 

 that a French chemist had discovered a method of procuring 

 something like three times as much sugar as formerly from this 

 beet. In our country, however, it is not probable that the cul- 

 tivation of the cane will be relinquished for sugar beet. They 

 are valuable in stock, nevertheless, and if all farmers should 

 succeed as Mr. Fuller did at Nahant, in 1840, it is a question 

 whether any crop would be better worth cultivating. He 

 raised at the rate of 1300 bushels, of fifty-six pounds weight, 

 on one acre, which is nearly thirty-six and a half tons. These 

 beets are often packed in barrels and shipped to the south, A 

 common price is $1.50 per barrel. 



