320 



Root Culture. 



Vol. VIII. 



Root Culture. 



A paper on the cult are of Roots, read before 

 tke •' Practical Farmer's Club''' by one of 

 its members, at their March meeting — 

 Wilmington, Del. 



No crop is more important to the farmer 

 ihaii the Root Crop, and yet how very seldom 

 in this section of country do we see it sutti- 

 ciently appreciated. At the head of this 

 valuable family, stands the Ruta Baga or 

 Swedish Turnip, being- first in my opinion, 

 for the following reasons; the seed' is put in 

 the most readily, less liable to injury from 

 the insect when young, requiring less ex- 

 pense in the culture, not injured by tlie 

 early frosts, keeps better through the winter, 

 and last, though all important, yields the 

 most certain crop. 



I have been cultivating them for the last 

 13 years, from one to five acres annually, 

 and like all other crops, with different suc- 

 cess, but never until this last year an entire 

 failure, when from some cause almost all 

 our root crops were lost; nor do I think I 

 have ever raised much over 600 bushels per 

 acre, taking the whole crop together ; no 

 doubt by selecting a few square yards of the 

 best, as is too often done in reports of crops, 

 and making the calculation at that rate per 

 acre, I might have doubled this amount. 

 Perhaps it may have been from want of 

 proper culture, manure, or some other cause, 

 that I have not obtained a larger yield, for 

 we frequently see statements of crops leach- 

 ing from 1000 to 1500 bushels per acre. At 

 page 61, Vol T. of the Farmers' Cabinet, 

 you will find the statement of a crop of one 

 acre grown in this county, from wiiich two 

 tons of hay were cut before planting ; then 

 •|;58 worth of manure spread on it, which, 

 with the preparation and labour with the 

 crop, &c., brouglit the expenses of it to S83 

 55 cts., still the yield handsomely remuner- 

 ated it, being 850 bushels, which at 16 cents 

 per bushel, the price obtained for part of 

 them, the balance being consumed on the 

 farm, makes $136 00 — two tons of hay sold 

 for .^34 00, and 4 tons of tops estimated at 

 $8 00, makes a total of •'§? 178 00, from 

 which deduct the expenses above, and we 

 have a clear profit of i|94 45 from one acre; 

 besides which the land is left in fine con- 

 dition for any other crop to follow. — Also at 

 page 171, Vol. II. same work, is an article 

 from Mr. John Sandford of New York, who 

 says, " his business is to work, not to write," 

 but he gives us his experience with the Ruta 

 Baga in a very satisfactory manner ; he 

 planted three acres in drills on the 26th and 

 27th of June, hoed but twice, and the yield 

 was 3000 bushels, being 1000, bushels per 



acre — he adds, that " he thinks they draw 

 more nourishment from the atmosphere, and 

 less from the ground than any other vegeta- 

 ble; leave the ground in finer condition, and 

 cannot be too highly valued." He also adds, 

 " let all raise according to his wants and 

 means of feeding, depending on his own 

 market, and omit raising a portion of other 

 produce, which costs him five times as much 

 both in labour and land." The Rev. H. 

 Colman obtained a premium in 183{> for his 

 crop of 903 bushels per acre ; he " thinks 

 the labour not as much by one-third as re- 

 quired for the Potatoe crop," and that "three 

 years experience has increased their value 

 very much, as food tor either fatting or store 

 cattle, in his estimation." 



Mr. E. Tilden of New Lebanon, who has 

 a flock of 1000 of the finest Saxony sheep, 

 says, "we thinJc Ruta Baga decidedly pre- 

 ferable to any other roots, and we raised 

 about 3000 bushels last season." 



So we might go on to multiply without num- 

 ber, accounts of the great value of this excel- 

 lent vegetable; but let every one give it a 

 trial for themselves, and I think I can safely 

 predict, that having once made use of them, 

 they will never omit having a good supply 

 on hand. ]\Iy method of raising the crop 

 has been to have the ground in as mellow a 

 state as possible, by a free use of the plough 

 and harrow; then to throw it into ridges 

 about 30 inches apart; spread the manure 

 in the furrows, then split the ridges, throw- 

 ing it back again into the furrow and cover- 

 ing the manure. I prefer this plan of ma- 

 nuring to putting it on broadcast, for with 

 the latter mode (without it s!iould be very 

 short) it interferes more or less with the 

 drill, for as a matter of course, in ridging the 

 ground after ploughing in the manure, you 

 cannot avoid throwing it up again, which 

 brings the manure on the top of the ridge. 

 A less quantity will also answer, as the roots 

 strike immediately into, and have the whole 

 benefit of it. I have a very light roller for 

 one horse, to which I attach the drill, which 

 finishes the operation, as the roller going 

 before the drill levels it sufficiently for the 

 seed. About the last of June I consider the 

 proper time for putting them in, and I prefer 

 doing it at two different times, about two 

 weeks apart, as you v;ill not then be so much 

 hurried in working them, giving you time to 

 get through with the fir.st planting before 

 the next is ready — it is also much better to 

 put the seed in the same day you ridge the 

 ground — with the drill it takes about three- 

 fourths of a pound of seed per acre. As soon 

 as the plants are up, go through them with 

 the cultivator, and when they are large 

 enough to be safe from the fly, go over them 



