140 REPORT OF THE 



Estimating the cost of the roots, in labor, at twenty 

 dollars an acre more than that of the hay, oats, and 

 buckwheat, it still leaves a great disparity in the 

 profits; and, considering the cost of cultnre equal to 

 that of Indian corn, there is a manifest advantage in 

 the turnips and mangold- wurtzel over the corn crop as 

 a material for cattle food. Good beef cannot be made 

 on hay alone, in winter ; and those who do not feed 

 roots, must resort to some more expensive food, as the 

 meal of Indian corn, oats, buckwheat, &c. The tur- 

 nips and mangold-wurtzel, on the contrary, with the 

 aid of perhaps a little straw, will serve of themselves 

 to feed and fatten animals. In this matter, the chair- 

 man can speak from experience. He purchased four 

 oxen, a little before Christmas, and kept them till some 

 time in April : after a short time, they ate each two 

 bushels a day of rnta baga : they would eat very little 

 else, though laid before them, not even linse6d cake. 

 They made good beef, and afforded a handsome profit 

 on the turnips consvuned. 



If we now assume that an ox will require a quarter 

 of a hundred of hay per diem to keep in good condi- 

 tion, and that it will require an addition of four quarts 

 of corn-meal, or eight quarts of crushed oats or buck- 

 wheat, per diem, to fatten him ; and if we consider 

 112 potmds or two bushels of roots equivalent to a 

 ration of hay and grain, then the several crops will 

 feed an animal, as below : 



One acre of gra^s and half an acre of corn will feed . . . IGO days. 

 One and a half acre of mangold-wurtzel, or Swedish turnips, 



will feed 450 " 



One acre of grass and one acre of oats or buckwheat will feed 160 " 



Two acres of Swedish turnips or mangold-wurtzel will feed 600 " 



One acre of potatoes will feed . . .• 75 " 



One acre of Swedish turnips or mangold-wurtzel will feed . 300 *♦ 



Making very liberal allowance for the difference in 

 the expense of raising these crops, and for any error 

 the committee may have made in fixing the daily ra- 

 tions, or in the acreable produce of each, they think 

 that no doubt can for a moment be entertained that 



