326 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc 



producing more food at a lower cost per acre ; second, the 

 high labor cost, relatively much greater here than in Eng- 

 land, where the daily wages of farm laborers are hardly one- 

 half what they are with us, and where women and children 

 can be depended upon to do most of the weeding; and, 

 third, the uncertainty of the crop, it being much more 

 affected by variations in season, particularly by hot, dry 

 weather, than is corn. 



The mangel constitutes a valuable and exceedingly whole- 

 some food for most classes of stock, and is particularly 

 valuable for milk production. Its flavor is agreeable to 

 milch cows, and it does not unfavorably influence the flavor 

 of dairy products. Its succulence is a valuable quality, 

 rendering it highly conducive to health and appetite for 

 other feeds. 



Now that we can preserve the corn crop in succulent 

 form, however, the necessity for roots has diminished, and 

 the introduction of ensilage is lessenino- the attention given 

 to this crop. 



It needs a deep, rich and moderately heavy soil and high 

 manuring. I regard the Globe varieties — the Yellow and 

 the Orange — as among the best. 



I should use both manure and fertilizers as a rule for this 

 crop ; but last year, on account of having kept less stock 

 than usual, we had insufficient manure, and we depended 

 entirely upon fertilizers, all of which we're mixed and put 

 on broadcast after ploughing, and harrowed in. 



The materials applied, the amount of plant food they 

 furnished and the amounts the crop was estimated to remove 

 from the soil were as follows : — 



Nitrate of soda, .... 



Dried blood, 



Dry ground fish, .... 

 Cotton-seed meal, 

 Plain superphosphate, . 



Floats, 



Muriate of potash, . . . , 



