20 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



which it could possibly be applied. Boiled po- 

 tatoes are preferable to raw ones in fattening 

 swine or beef cattle, as the boiling diminishes 

 their laxative properties, which are often detri- 

 mental to health, especially when fed in large 

 quantities, and thus tend to counteract the very 

 results they are intended by the feeder to pro- 

 duce. 



The English agriculturists recommend boiled 

 potatoes in stall feeding, and raw ones for feed- 

 ing cows in milk. 



Machines have been invented, and for a long 

 time in use, in various parts of Europe, which 

 reduce the roots to a semi-fluid or semi-liques- 

 cent state ; but towards these, the more intelli- 

 gent portion cf the agricultural community are 

 not, apparently, very favorably disposed. But 

 the cutting machine, or root-cutter, now so gen- 

 erally is. use in New England — and which reduces 

 the root to fine pieces, is perhaps one of the most 

 valuable implements that can be used in the 

 preparation of food for domestic animals. The 

 use, therefore, of one of these, where roots and 

 straw constitute the principal articles of food, is 

 recommended both on theoretical and practical 

 considerations, and will be found highly econom- 

 ical, saving both time and fodder, and securing, 

 at the same time, all the important results pro- 

 duced by a more costly food. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 ECONOMY IN TOOLS AND STOCK. 



Mr. Editor : — In agriculture, as well as every 

 other branch of business, an eye must be kept 

 out for the expenses. A reduction in these, as 

 far as is practical, is commendable in the farmer. 

 When he wishes to buy an article for farmi/ig 

 purposes, he should know just what he wants, 

 and in order to ascertain this fact, he should 

 look at and test the new, as well as the old arti- 

 cles that are in the market. He does not Avant 

 to purchase an article because it can be bought 

 low, unless it is what is wanted. He wants the 

 venj best kind, and in purchasing such he saves 

 time and labor, and labor is equivalent to cash. 

 After an article is bought it should be taken care 

 of, and after it has been used, it should be care- 

 fully laid away until it is again wanted for use. 



In speaking of economy in farming, I do not 

 wish to be understood that it is good policy to 

 keep short, or starve animals that are kept for 

 work, or otherwise. If farming will not admit of 

 keeping a horse, oxen, cows or any other ani- 

 mals, well, which the farmer may think proper to 

 keep, some of them should be disposed of. 

 Above all things, do not starve a horse, one of 

 the noblest animals we have. In speaking of 

 horses, the farmer does not need what is termed 

 a "three-minute horse," but a good family horse ; 

 one with which he can take his family to church ; 

 one that can be hitched to the cart, or drag ; one 

 that, if his wife wishes to go to a friend's to spend 

 an afternoon, can be driven by her in safety. 



If four cows cannot be kept well, keep less. 

 By the way, it is a good calculation to give cows 

 a little meal once a day ; the milk is of better 

 quality, and flows much longer, and there is 

 much more refuse milk to give the hogs, which 

 thrive much better on milk and meal, than they 

 do on water and meal. The breed is quite an 

 item in the rearing of hogs, but I have only time 

 now to speak of it, as a hint. 



Henry Crowell. 



Londonderry, N. H., 1858. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 ROOT CROPS. 



I notice the article in this week's Farmer, un- 

 der the caption "Root Crops," which evidently 

 emanates from a gentleman, "E. E.," who does 

 not think very highly of them, and has, I pre- 

 sume, had indifferent success in their culture. 



He inquires, in the outset, if a man can pull, 

 top and house, a hundred bushels of English 

 turnips for three dollars ? I am not informed 

 precisely of the size of the aforesaid esculent, but 

 will say in reply, that this Monday, Nov. 8, 

 1858, three of us have "pulled, topped and 

 housed," 325 bushels Swedish turnips, at an ex- 

 pense of less than three dollars for the lot, and 

 also, if Mr. "E. E." will bring on liis turnips we 

 will take the job off his hands at the same ratio. 

 This much for that lion. 



He then goes on to note his ill success in 

 growing them with his corn, and finds fault be- 

 cause he did not get two good crops from the 

 same soil. Too bad, intirely. 



Again, he acknowledges, that in feeding out, 

 they increased the quantity of the milk, but not 

 of the butter. Some hocus-pocus here, surely ! 



And, finally, he says he would not have them 

 in his cellar because they scented up his house. 

 The probabilities are that this took place merely 

 for want of sufficient ventilation. 



The writer has practiced the raising of root 

 crops for a series of years, having the present 

 season harvested some 2500 bushels, and will 

 follow it no longer than he is satisfied it will pay 

 in every sense of the word. His present opin- 

 ion, founded on years of experience, is, that 

 there is no better means of renovating the soil, 

 than by growing roots and feeding them out on 

 the farm ; carefully saving, housing and applj'- 

 ing the manure derived from feeding them out, 

 and that a perseverance of this course for a term 

 of years will most assuredly tell upon the fertili- 

 ty of his land. 



What comparison, indeed, is there between a 

 ton and a half of grass to the acre, and fifteen 

 tons of roots, both as to feeding and manurial 

 purposes ? To be sure, the roots cost more cul- 

 ture and higher manuring, — but, after all, there 

 is no comparison as to their value. 



Thus have I attempted to reply to some of 

 "E. E.'s" objections to this branch of farming, 

 feeling that he must have obtained a wrong idea 

 of its practicability. w. J. P. 



Salisbury, Conn., Nov. 8, 1858. 



Remarks. — The writer of the above is one of 

 our best New England farmers, — working with 



