366 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAY 19, !S41. 



AND HORTICULTURAL RF.GISTER. 



BoaToN, Wednesday, May 19, 1841. 



ROOT CULTURE. 

 The cultivation of rooli as food for cattle anJ swine, 

 has been strongly urged upon fanners by the agricultu- 

 ral press, for several years past. The columns of this 

 paper have often spoken, and dislinctly, upon the subject. 

 " Line upon line, here a little and there a little," hav- 

 ing been dealt out, the farmers of this vicinity have par- 

 tially complied with ihe advice. But still farther com- 

 pliance may be desirnble. We, however, have not a 

 belief that the root husbandry should he carried to the 

 same extent in our clim:ile a< it is under the moister 

 skies of England. 'There the root crop is probably more 

 certain than with us; while Indian corn, one (.f our 

 most certain and best crops, cannot be groan in the fi.gs 

 of the island. We do nut suppose that it would be 

 found profitable here to rival the molher land in the 

 extent of root husbandry. And yet our fiith is strong 

 that it would be profitable in this region to gmw roots 

 more extensively than we yet do. Tlieir aid in work- 

 ing off coarser kinds of fodder while the stock is kept 

 in good condition ; their etfects in increasing the quan- 

 tity of milk; their utility in making beef and pnrk, and 

 their efficient agency in increasing the quantity and im- 

 proving llie quality of the manure heap, all commend 

 them to the fanner's attention. 



But he raises a question whether ihej do not cost 

 more than they are worth. It is the great question ; 

 and it is not of easy solution, for the expen.ses of culti- 

 vation and the value of the roots for stock, are by far 

 too much mere matters of conjecture. We are satisfied 

 from several years' experience, that where eight cords of 

 manure per acre are applied, that 400 bushels per acre 

 of roots, taking one kind with another, may be raised. 

 We have, taking a succession of years together, raised 

 more carrots to the acre than ruta bagas or sugar beets. 

 All the labor upon an acre may probably be performed 

 for 25 dollars, and if it be allowed that the crop by its 

 consumption will furnish as much manure as it exhausts 

 in ils growth, then the cost of the roots is but about 14 

 cents per bushel. Will not the bushel furni.sh the four- 

 pence lia'penny's worth of milk, beef or pork? We 

 have no doubt that it will; and we advise every farmer 

 to raise at leiist 40 or 5U bushels for naoh beast in his 

 barn. But he says, 1 have no land in a suitable condi- 

 tion forsuch crops. An experiment on a small scale 

 the last season, satisfied us that sward lind, newly turn- 

 ed, will answer well for the root crops. We incline t.i 

 the opinion that they can be grown as economically on 

 Buch land as on old ground. But the new ground must 

 be well ploughed to the depth of eight inchos or more, 

 ind must be thoroughly harrowed. The first of June is 

 early enough for the sowing of any of these crops, nnd 

 the ruta baga seed should be kept out of the land until 

 the middle of the month. 



Our rumom has been to sow upon a levil surfacr, and 

 in rows not more than 15 or 16 inches apart; but vvc 

 very much doubt whether it is not better to ridge and 

 have the rows from 24 to 30 inches a|>i\rl. This saves 

 much laboi. iMany recommend soaking the seed ; but 

 when Ihe ground is in good condition for the reception 

 of seed, we have never found benefit from soaking 

 On the whole we think the carrot less snlijeet to injury 

 from worms, rot or drought than the other roots ; it is 

 as valuable as any one of them ; and though the labor of 

 its cultivation is somewhat greater, yet we prefer it for 

 the main crop. It is well to tr)' some of each kind. 



Accounts are often published of crops much larger 

 than we have named, as the probable produce. With- 

 out questioning the correctness of those accounts, we 

 merely say that we have tried lo conform tn results ob- 

 tained under our own eye in a series of four or five years ; 

 we wish to present the question of root culture fairly 

 and not allure people into it by expectations which must 

 prnliably be disappointed. 



The cold and wet of the spring, though they certainly 

 should not bring discouragement, will cause, some hesi- 

 tation about the planting of corn as extensively as is 

 customary ; but we see nothing in them to iin|iair the 

 hope that the root crop may do as well in this as in any 

 other season. We trust that more attention will be giv- 

 en 10 it the present year than it has ordinarily received. 



LETTER FROM VIRGINIA. 



Middle Town, Frederick Co., Virginia, > 

 May Cth, 1841. <, 



Thomas G. Fessendeh, Esq.— Sir— The ball of agri- 

 ricultural improvement is silently and gradually wend- 

 ing its way souibvvard. The public mind of this portion 

 of the " Auld Dominion," is almost sufficiently advanc- 

 ed for inocculation. 1 desire a bud or cutting of North- 

 ern growth. Having no acquaintance in your Bay 

 State, I am induced to refer to you for thai information 

 which the occasion requires. You will confer a lasting 

 obligation on the writer, as well as all interested in the 

 welfare of this most important branch of industry here, 

 by communicating such stalistical and general knowl- 

 edge of agriculture and manufactures, as you can reach. 

 Any and every document of your State and local socie- 

 ties from which we could glean the rise nnd progress of, 

 a comparative view of the improvement in agriculture 

 and manufactures, would be useful. I hope you will 

 not consider this too great a tax upon.your time. iVly 

 apology for this intrusion is sttrn necessity, sni the 

 prominent position you occupy on the agricultural thea- 

 tre. And judging from the laudable zeal you have 

 evinced, I imagine my motives will not be misconstrued. 

 Your earliest attention, compatible with your conveni- 

 ence, is most respectfully solicited. 



Please, sir, accept my best wishes for your future wel- 

 fare. 



With great respect, 1 remain yours, 



C. B. HITE. 

 Thomas G Fessenden, Esq. 



A memorial of beneficent labor not to be thrown 

 away ! Thus thought we upon reading the above let- 

 ter .'lirected to Thomas G. Fessenden, as the " Editor of 

 iheN. E. Far.iier." 



Subdued and hallowed sensations, like those which 

 stir in us when viewing the portraits nnd other remem- 

 brancers of departed friends, moved the heart while the 

 eye passed on from word to word and line to line. We 

 were approprialinj what was not meant for us. We 

 were lakirnr what belonged to the dead — innocently we 

 were taking it, and yet not without misgivings, for fan- 

 cv's ear heard the spitit which was wont In reveal itself 

 in the columns of the Farmer, saying mildly, but firmly, 

 thatismtnt, not jonra. Yes, spirit of Fessenden, it is 

 ihine. It was addressed to thee. We claim it no!. We 

 hand it over lo that portion of the world for whose in- 

 struction and improvement thou didst perteveringly, 

 prudently nnd successfully labor. We give it as a wit- 

 ness that though the body thou didst inhiibit is dead, yet 

 thou still dost retain a place in our world. A mind in 

 the " Old Dominion," which years ngo drank in instruc- 

 tion from thee, now in its thirsting after knowledge, 

 turns instinctively lo the spol where, in days that are 

 past, it found the refreshing draught. The fact is a 

 monument to thine efficiency in the cause to which 



thou wasl devoted. It speaks of labors well performed, 

 and of wide-spread confidence reposed in thee. Through , 

 many years, while a stranger t > t'le^, we always heeded ^ 

 thy weekly messenger as a wise and prudent oracle. 

 Thousands in the land doubtless did so too— so that the 

 opinions and lasles of hundreds upon hundreds have ; 

 been shaped by the quiet action of thy modest mind. — I 

 The good which thou hast done lives afler thee. We 

 fondly trust that it is yielding thee immoiial fruit in the 

 fair fields of the world above, while it is contributing to 

 the enjoyments and comforts of those who are, and of 

 those who in days yet far sffin the future, will be, tillers 

 of this world's soil. 



At present it is impossible for us to prepare any thing 

 for our columns which will meet the broad inquiry of 

 the writer of the letter; but if he will inform usiww to 

 send, we shall be pleased lo collect a few pamphlets :or 

 his use. Not that we can furnish any brighter Ight 

 than is given to the Old Dominion by ttie pages o tii.. 

 Farmers' Registtr (as able and thorough as any oJter 

 American agiicultural journal)— but because it is plea- 

 sant to gratify the desires of all who seek for such light 

 upon important subjects as we may be able to furnish. 

 iMr H. will oblige us by describing the motions and pro- 

 gress of " the ball" in Ills region 



Some Southern journal has reccmlly complained that 

 the North takes no interest in the agricultural writings 

 of the south. We doubt the justness of the complaint as 

 a general one ; and we deny its correctness as far as we 

 are personally concerned. Though we select and write 

 mainly for New England, we welcome instruction from 

 the South, and send it there as cheerfully as elsewhere. 



RENOVATION OF THE PEACH TREE. 

 A gentleman, residing in Cambridge, informs us that 

 he last summer heard that charcoal placed around the 

 roots of the diseased peach stock, was serviceable. He 

 immediately removed the soil from around the trunk 

 of a sickly tree in his garden, supplied its place with 

 charcoal, and was surprised at its sudden renovation, 

 the subsequent rapidity of ils growth, and the tenacity 

 wiih which the fruii held on to tlie branches, and the 

 unusual richness of ils flavor when matured. 



Simple Cure for Rheumatism.— Bo\\ a small pot full of 

 potatoes, and bathe the parts affected with the water in 

 which the pataloei were boiled, as hot as it can be ap- 

 plied, immediately before getting into bed. The pains 

 v»ill be removed, or at least greatly alleviated, by the 

 next morning. Some of the most obstinate rheumatic 

 pains have been cured by one application of this novel 

 and simple remedy. — Selected. 



To ensure large crops, plough deep, fetch up the sub- 

 soil to be exposed to the sun and air, fill the land with 

 good manure, and give the crops thoroUf;h tending at the 

 proper season, 



A British journal thinks that the introduction of the 

 root culture in England, will effect as great a change in 

 the prosperity of the landed interest, as the application 

 of steam has produced in the results of mechanical inge- 

 nuity. 



" All eloquence," said Dr. F., "is a lie." 

 " A Tery eloquent remark, that of yours," responded 

 Dr. H. 



Cheat your corn when you plant it, and it will chent 

 you when you harvest it. — Me. Cult. 



The rate of wages in Ireland is from ten lo twenty 

 cents per day, without food. 



