ROOTS AND VEGETABLES. 91 



minutely and correctly answered, would do more good, in our 

 opinion, tlian all the premiums ever paid by this society shice 

 its formation for overgrown vegetables. 



J. B. Farmer, /or the Committee. 



NANTUCKET. 



Statement of David Folg-er. 

 Beets. — After so much has been said and written upon root- 

 crops, and especially the mangel, by those whose knowledge and 

 experience ought to entitle them to credit, as one of the most 

 important crops for a dairy-farm, there still exists a strong pre- 

 judice against feeding them extensively. Knowing* that this 

 prejudice has gained ground among us, leads me to extend 

 my remarks beyond the limits of an ordinary statement of the 

 results of a crop entered for premium. After eight years 

 of experience in feeding mangels, I feel prepared to meet any 

 objections against their extensive use as a succulent on all 

 dairy farms, whether for the production of milk, or the manu- 

 facture of that milk into butter. The milk is better and the 

 butter sweeter and of a better color from their use than with- 

 out. There is also a large saving in hay, for the cow that has 

 eaten a half bushel of beets in the morning, will eat much less 

 hay during the day. In fact, there is a large saving also, in the 

 growth of this crop ; as the mangels grown upon one-fourth of 

 an acre of land, will do more towards wintering stock, than 

 the hay grown upon four times the breadth of land, the same 

 amount of manure being used in both cases. There are many 

 varieties of this family of beet, but after trying several, I give 

 the yellow globe the preference, as I think it keeps better far 

 into , the spring than any other. I do not think the yield so 

 large as that of the long red, but have no doubt they contain 

 more nutriment. They should be planted in rich, mellow soil, 

 well manured, and thoroughly pulverized. Plenty of room 

 should be given each plant, for I consider it more profitable 

 and far preferable to raise large vegetables than small ones, and 

 beets in particular do not do as well, if not carefully thinned 

 early in the season. Tliey can be readily transplanted, and 

 it is my practice to fill in all the spaces in this way. 



